ants many thousands of years ago. Thorough investigations on the part of the irrigation department have proved that a scheme which would provide a barrage at Sennar and a canal almost parallel to the Blue Nile would supply sufficient water for the irrigation of the entire Gezira plain. As will be seen from the map, the topographical features of the Gezira are exceedingly favorable for irrigation. The land falls gradually from the Blue Nile towards the White Nile; the slope is almost imperceptible to the eye, and therefore the heavy expenditure for levelling the ground, which is one of the most serious items in practically all irrigated plantations, would be non-existent or infinitesimal. The climate of the Gezira near Khartoum is almost rainless, the occasional heavy storms being too uncertain to permit of cultivation, but the rainfall increases steadily as we go south. Regular cultivation commences about thirty miles south of Khartoum, and reaches its maximum development near Wad Medani. Very dry grass and bush become prominent features, passing to comparatively dense forest near Wad Medani, where the area cultivated in rain crops is considerable. These crops consist almost wholly of sorghum (millet), but patches of cotton of stunted growth may be seen here and there. The sorghum crop seems to be a favorite amongst the natives so far, and in good, rainy seasons the yield is very fair. Before one reaches Tayiba one notices a few scattered fields grown with cotton. They look most discouraging, as the crop cannot be more than twenty pounds per acre. All the more is one struck by the appearance of the fields of the natives within a few yards, at Tayiba, which receive the water from the pumping station. One cannot help but be astounded at the miracle produced by its steady supply. GEZIRA IRRIGATION SCHEME. Sir WILLIAM GARSTIN'S project consists in establishing a barrage at Sennar, and cutting a canal from there almost parallel with the Blue Nile to about thirty miles south of Khar toum, which would feed smaller canals branching off in the direction of the White Nile. The cost of construction of the barrage at Sennar has been These calculations are based on irrigating at first an area of 500,000 acres. This proposed area is marked on the map in shaded lines. For an additional 500,000 acres a sum of about £2,000,000 would be required, so that £6,000,000 would be necessary for irrigating 1,000,000 acres. The return which may be expected from the working of such a scheme is perhaps more difficult to estimate than the construction of the work. The following are some remarks on this point taken from a Government publication of April, 1908, dealing with the Gezira scheme : "It is worth noting that in places where the cultivators of the Sudan are familiar with irrigation they have frequently expressed their willingness to pay one-third of any crops realized on their lands for the supply of water (from a pumping station or otherwise) necessary to mature these crops, and the realization of any such land in the form of taxation and water-rate should give a handsome return on the capital invested, apart from the indirect benefit to the country as a whole." TAYIBA FARM. The best evidence of the quality of the soil is the fact that under present conditions when rain is at all normal good crops are raised, but in order to prove the fertility of the soil and the adaptability of the Sudanese to become good cotton growers, the Government decided to first start a test-farm at Tayiba. This farm was begun in 1911; the water for irrigating the land. has, of course, to be lifted by means of a pumping station. In 1911, 5453 feddans were under cultivation, whilst in 1912, 1,914 feddans were under cultivation and have received water. LAND OWNERSHIP. It is very unfortunate that the land in the Gezira belongs to the natives, and not to the Government, the boundaries going in zig-zig fashion, whilst for irrigating purposes all the land must be divided into regular squares. The Government had to rent the land necessary for working the Tayiba farm. At present, land in the Gezira is sold at 20 piastres (4s. 2d.) per acre, whilst when the water is obtainable the value of that same land may be anything from £10 to £15 per acre and more. This surely is a case for the just application of an unearned increment tax; in fact, the whole of the construction of the barrage and the canal might be paid for out of these unearned increments. MANAGEMENT OF FARM. The Sudan Plantations Syndicate, Ltd.,was asked by the Sudan Government to take charge of the management of this farm, and personally I think the Government must be congratulated upon |