Printed papers on the political situation and military policy in Egypt [‎50v] (100/176)

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tenants only five declined to come to an agreement with the administration, and
insisted on referring the matter to arbitration, a course which one group subsequently
regretted, as the decision of the court proved less favourable to them than the offer
originally made by the administration. But while the collection of rents was by no
means unsatisfactory, great difficulty has been experienced in getting in the annual
instalments of purchase price, particularly in the Fayoum. where large areas were
recently sold on the instalment system. The price at which this land was sold was
low, and the facilities for payment were great, so that even in the present depressed
state of the market purchasers should find no difficulty in paying their instalments.
Rigorous measures are therefore being taken against defaulters.
Farming.
213. in 1921. 8,514 feddans were put under cotton, as against 9,343 feddans in
1920. The main varieties grown were Assili, 1,432 feddans. and Sakellarides, 6,732
feddans, while o50 feddans were devoted to other varieties. The average yield per
feddan for the whole area under cotton was 3-43 kantars, as against 3 86 kantars in
1920. The average yield of the whole country was 2-56 kantars. The cotton was
ginned as usual in the administration's factory An East India Company trading post. at Sakha, and sold by auction at
Alexandria. The mean price obtained was £E. 8-693 milliemes per kantar, as com
pared with £E. 12 231 milliemes in 1920 and £E. 15-756 milliemes in 1919. During
1921, 13,535 ardebs of Domains cotton-seed from the 1920 crop were placed at the
disposal of the Ministry of Agriculture for distribution.
214. Bulk selection of cotton was continued as in past years with a view to the
improvement of stock seed. The selected seed (Sakel X) used for the nucleus of
Domains sowings was hand-picked after ginning with a view to eradicating inferior
seed. There is every reason to hope that this system, now adopted for the first time,
will result in still further improvement in the quality of Domains Sakellarides. A
considerable amount of experimental work was carried out by the staff of the
administration on lines laid down by the Cotton Research Board.
215. In past years it has been the custom to make use of surplus Domains wheat
for supplying the needs of Departments of the State which are consumers. So long
as this wheat was not markedly superior to the commercial article this system had
the merit of being cheap. But the attention which has been paid in recent years to
the quality of wheat grown on the Domains has resulted in such marked improvement
that the Department felt that its produce would be more economically employed for
seed purposes than as food. Accordingly, in 1921. 2,441 ardebs of Domains wheat
were distributed to growers through the Ministry of Agriculture, with such satis
factory An East India Company trading post. results that the measure will be continued in coming years.
Fciles of Land.
216. The market has been unfavourable for sales of fully developed land during
the past year. No effort was spared, however, to complete the sale of small scattered
plots of State property throughout the provinces, largely increased facilities being
given as an inducement to purchasers. During the year under review 18,833 feddans
were disposed of in 2.980 plots, of which 6,719 feddans, forming 1.439 plots, were
bought by tenants and 12,114 feddans in 1,541 plots were sold by auction.
217/ Out of the 44,374 saleable scattered plots of less than 100 feddans in area
which stood on the books of the administration at the beginning of 1919, when this
work of liquidation was undertaken, 30,883 plots, forming 74,512 feddans, have now
been disposed of. The remaining 13,491 plots have attracted no purchasers, in spite
of repeated offers. Special measures are being taken with a view to dispose of them.
Subsequently it is hoped to extend this process of liquidation to scattered blocks of
larger size which from their isolated situation cannot be economically exploited or
effectively supervised.
Land Improvement.
218. In spite of financial difficulties, the improvement scheme in Belqas Estate
undertaken in 1920 was energetically pushed on during the past year. The original
programme provided for the levelling and canalisation of 1,742 teddans in 1921,
amfit is satisfactory to note that it was found possible to carry out the work on rather
more than 2,300 feddans. Only about 500 feddans will, therefore, remain for treat
ment in 1922, instead of the 1.000 feddans anticipated in the original programme.
219. The 1,800 feddans which had been taken up in 1920 were planted in rice,
but unfortunately shortage of irrigation supply told heavily on the crop. Two