A field and laboratory study of the soils of the Tahreer Province of Egypt

Item Type text; Thesis-Reproduction (electronic)

Authors Radwan, Mohamed Khalid, 1925-

Publisher The University of Arizona.

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Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/551263 A FIELD AND LABORATORY STUDY OF THE SOILS OF THE TAHREER PROVINCE OF EGYPT

by Mohamed KhajJid Radwan

A Thesis

submitted to the faculty of the

Department of Agricultural Chemistry and Soils in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE

in the Graduate College, University of Arizona

1956

Approved: H,u> sr/ty st, Director of Thesis D ate k i:-'

fMs - thesis h$S' been submitted In partial fulfillment of c, -.v..v '.v v;y >. ■. ■ ; : requirements for an advanced degree at the University; of Arizona and is deposited in the Library to. be made available to borrowers n under rules of the Library= Brief quotations from this thesis are allowable without•special permission^ provided that accurate acknowledgment of source is made0 Bequests for permission for extended quotation from or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the head of the major depart­ ment or the dean of the Graduate College when in th e ir' judgment ” the proposed use of the material is in the interests of scholar-

shin* In all other instances, however, permission must be obtained from th e author* f f ■ vq' ■ :

■ ■ ; , s im m i , - . .

Jf. KA. ■ ACKNOWLEDGMENT

The w itef Mshes to express his thanks to the Egyptian Government - for creating the Tahreer Province and for having the honor of under­ taking this works He also wishes to: thank the Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture and UoSoO.Mo to Egypt for, awarding this scholarship. Appreci­ ation is also expressed to Major M. Magdis Managing Director of the Tahreer Province for his sincere interest and encouragement and the facilities he offeredj'to carry on-thi s worko To Professor Ho ¥p Smith for his patience and constructive direction of the work represented by this fhesls^Othe,entiior is grateftil» .s!laeh: credit:also is due to Dr> T» F0 :

Buehrer for his effort and advice In this work. To Dr« & Pf - Allam and • Dr„ Mo. El-Heneidy under whose supervision the in itia l.part of the work was conducted at the University of CalrOj, the author expresses his thanks and also, to other members of the, S oil Science Department .<£ the University of Cairo and Arizona; as well as to Dr* Mo El-Gabaly and Dr» Ho El™Ashkar, of the Epils Department, of Ale#ndrla:% to Dr>,- 1» Jenny5 : - .. University of California, for their many' helpful suggestions, during the course of this study« To the Egyptian laborers and to the unknown and unmentioned, who gave assistance, the author is grateful* TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page il\!TKODU CT ION o 0- O 6 o ’ . O O O o O. O O 0 , 0 X

E g y p t o o 6 d Location >=-■ Density of Population = Climate Geology p o o o o p o o & o , p , p Present Status of Agriculture, * » » 0 5 Irrigation = Quality of the Nile Water0 0 d 6 Proposed New Development <> 0 o » 0 0 d 11

TAHBEiB PROVINCE, « , > <* » » o' 0 » ; » . Q » 1 12 Purpose and Plan of the Investigation » o o . 13 Field Techni{p.e o o o o p o o - * o p l: Profile Description of the Soils, -v 'V = ' Figures Showing Soil Profiles, 0 0 o' o o ■ Lahoratory^^M^ Employed in This Investigation p op p o o p o » o , 22

CHABACTEBISTICS OF THE SOILS» » p o » » o 0 0 2?

DlfetJSSION OF BESULTS v ^ * p » ■ ». . « .» 47 . Teiture =■ Water Betentionso o 0 i „ p p . , : Nitrogen - Organic Matter ™ pi - 0 ■ 9 1 > %aracteristie8 of the Surface Soils * p » 52 MineralSg Nitrogen^ Phosphorus and Potash^ Texture) Silt and Clays Moisture Equivalent, p o o © o .p o , , ,

CON CLUSION o p p © © ■ o © ; ,, o ppoo o p 57

SDMMAByp. ■ p. 0 p. O P. O 0. 0 O O O O O O , O' 59

B1BLI0GBAPHT o p 0 o o o o o poop » o 62 . U SE ©F M L E S

..lys&er ' ' Page

Gliiaatxc Data o- o o 0 ■ o o c & a a o o- ■ 2|. 20 Percentage Distribution of Suspended Particles o f the Nile Watero » 0 c o a » :» > »• * 9

3o Exchangeable Bases in Suspended Matter0 » » 9 4» Percentage Gomposition. of th e Dissolved Solid Matter in the Nile . . • . . « ' „ • 0 ' 0 \ 4Sr 0 1G 5=. Profile 1 - Ao, Mechanical Analysis . 0 d d 0 28 Bo Chemical Analysis. e 0 0 %O' ■ 0 29 &o Profile, 2 '«# A. Mechanical Analysis . 0 0 - O 31 B. Ghemical Analysis. » 0 0 0" 0 32

7° Profile 3 *= A. Mechanical Analysis . 0 0 6 0 34 B. Chemical Analysis. . O 0 35 80 Profile 4 —. A. Mechanical Analysis » 0 0 37 B. Ghemical A nalysis. . d ° 0 0. 38 9o Profile 5 - A. .Mechanical Analysis » 0 > 0 40 ■ B .' Ghemical' Analysis. : , 0 ,»■' O ;4 :. o‘ 41 : ;M 0: ' Profile 6 -= A. Mechanical Analysis . 0 O : ° 0 43 - ' B. Ghemical.Analysis. » 0 0 0 44

11. Neobauer Test » 0 0 ■ . . . . 0. 0 0 . 46 12. pH Values Before and After Leaching. 0 0 0 0 51 HS$ OF FIGOBES '

- 20 . lap of Lower Egypt After the Greation of the Tahreer ‘ Provinceo Sampling sites indicated0

3o Soil Profile Bistribntion at Sampling Site Fp. 1 ko Soil Profile Distribution at Sampling Site Hoo 2 ' 5= Soil Profile Distribution at Sampling Site Ho0 3 60 Soil Profile Distribution at Sampling Site No, 4 7, Soil Profile- Distribution at Sampling Site No. 5 B. Soil Profile: Distribution at Sampling Site No. 6 . 9. Distribution of Silt arid dLay Throughout the Profile at Each Sampling Site. '

10. Distribution of Cfe.0^ Throughout the Profile at Each ' , .:Sampling, p t e < : \ : ; 11. Distribution of Organic Matter Throughout the Profile at Each Sampling Site,

12. Relationship Between the Organic Matter Content of the Soil to Their Distance Northwest of Cairo. 13. Relationship Between Nitrogen Content of the Surface Soils to the Precipitation and Distance Northwest of - Cairo. ■ ■,, : -v v 1. - ■ - - 14. Relationship Between Moisture Equivalent of the Surface Soils to the Precipitation and Distance Northwest of Cairo. 1$. R elationship Between th e S ilt and Clay Content of the Surface Soils to Their Moisture Equivalent. ' ■■■;.

LIST OF PLATES

Mxitaber ■ v lo Tents Used by P arties Making Prelim inary Surveys of the Tahreer Province . • 2» Tractor Equipped With Jumbo Tires for Desert Travel

% A Canal Built in Sand Before Placement of Concrete • Lining ' • : ' . : 4»:; Part; of' a Plant "Where Sectional Slabs of Concrete are v ;. Molded fo r Lining Irrig a tio n Canals . -

,' A': A:: Concrete 'Lined Gana,l::, : ': y-') . ■ . • Levelling Desert Soils With a Tractor Prior to Develop* , mentr for Irrigation; - ' - Eoitian Eurseiy 8 and % The Author^ Making Ghemical Analysis of th e Tahreer Soils in the Tahreer Laboratory ~ Egypt <,

iOe Heubaur Test llo The Author Making Physical Analysis of th e Tahreer Soils, at the University of Arizona Laboratories

vv; ■ A/ e d i t e r r a n c a n

Alexandria

s u i t

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LEGEND • A FIELD MW LABORATORY STUDY OF THE SOILS.

: OF THE TAHHEER PROVB\TGE OF EGYPT * '

' D m o D u m m

History records that Herodotus saiG in 457 BoCo "Eg^pt is the gift of the Mile01! E^pt is located in Horthem Africa^ east of Libia^ ; ’ north of th e Smdan^ west of th e Red Sea^ and bounded on th e north by the Mediterranean Sea (Figure l)o Because of its fertile landj, as we23L as its geographic position, linking the three continents of Asias Africa ' :v . and Europop Egypt has 'been9 from th e^ d aw -of' h isto ry y a focus of cul-' tu ralp economic^ and p o litic a l a c b iv itie s0 I t i s approximately S50 ' '■ ■ ; y- ■ "'x. \ ; . : ■ . miles from north to south and aliiost as wide0 The total area is about 386pOQO square mileSp which is approximately the combined size of Texas and lew Mexieo' or more than twice the area of California (13) o ■ ■ ' ■ ■ \ "...: V ::x.':;vy :>: v' :'y:' ::.'. / .ilm.: the ,,%per^ strip of land four to six miles in width which is eultiratedo The Delta in the lower reaches of th e Mile i s fan. shaped being 3O0 m le s wide near th e mouth* ’ The

country as a whole forms part of a vast desert belt that extends from . the Atlantic Ocean acrdss Horth Africa -and Arabia0 legleeting the ' . . . oases spotted throughout the desert plateau on both sides of the Mile, there are only 13s 50§ square miles of cultivated land in Egypt or 2/30

of its whole area. Thisp seven million acres of cultivable land in

Egypt p is a huge oasis In, the barren^ sandy desert 6 This- means that 22 million people mast live in an area the size of Maryland which sup­ ports a population of five, million people at present^ The density of

population here is the highest in the world—about lj,600 per square mile as compared with 210#.the density pen square mile of cultivated land in the United States (23)0 Moreover the rate of population is increasing rapidly, % is population pressure has forced the govern- v . ment to seek new areas for the production of agricultural cropso

fhe B emocratic government found that- (1)5 because of the continued

increase in density of the rural population# agricultural reform and

expansion of the irrigated areas are necessary^ land reform laws limit

the land ownership to 200 feddans per person (8 )„ ®iis was done to abolish feudalism and distribute the land to a greater number of people ■ . ' ■ : ' V-' . - , ; : ■: . ■■ Nearly 75 percent of the E^rptian population depends upon agriculture '

for their livelihood {l7)o :

Climate of Egypt , i. .v' \ '1 , In Egypt the atmosphere is clear and dry# and the temperature is high ( 7 )p A norih wind persists- throughout the year# althou^i during the winter months south and west -winds# hot and sand-laden# are fre­ quent <, Except for a narrow belt oh the Mediterranean# E^rpt lies in an almost rainless area© lainfall is limited almost; entirely to the

months from Oetober through May and is nowhere very greats The annual-

average for Alexandria is 184 millimeters and for Cairo 24 millimeters^

At Wadi Haifa# in the extreme south# rain is practically unknown (Table 1)(^31)"o Cloud conditions are not frequent in Egypt# but they ' V...

are more frequent on the Mediterranean coast than Inlando Althou^i Deeemberand January are the cloudiest months^ it is rare >*en at least seme sunshine does not occur during the day0 On the: Delta^ fog occurs • four- or five mornings a . month in the itinter in Alexandria and. these . .. early morning mists sometimes appear in the Delta, in late sWtoer and, . ■_ especially I5oTembers hut #e. usually .dissipated by 10 .aomo Heavy dews’; , are not 'usual except in : spring and early summer* • The daily tempera.-

ture ranges are great* lowest temper#uree occur at the end of iarmary or early in February» Along the Mediterranean coast and as far inland as Cairo the mean annual temperature averages 660Fo and in

Southern Egypt at Aswan it is 75°Fo Hi^ittime winter temperatures are

; about : @'°FC>S being colder in Southern E©q>t than along the Mediterranean , owing ’to the la tte r8s proximity to the sea*. ’ Freezing nighttime tern™ ■

peratures occur occasionally in winter as far south as Luxor0 • On the Sinhi plateaus th e minimum tem perature in* December and January averages close to freezing and has fa lle n as low as 18°F* (l2 )0 The h o tte st

months of the year are Junes July and August /then the' average daily maxima reach 10SoFQ s f60F.*s and 870F0 a t Aswans Cairo and Alexandria

respectively* The highest temperature ever recorded at Aswan is 1240F0 5

, at Cairo H60F0, and at Alexandria H10F* Relative humidity is hipest at Alexandria near the. Mediterranean in midsummer and at Cairo and Aswan- i n :midwinter 70% and -AO^o It is- lowest along the Mediterranean

in midwinter: , . at Alexandria 66%s at Cairo 51%» and at Aswan 26%o

-/ ' '

.< ■£

■7'%: Table X0 Climatic Data for Important Egyptian Ifeather Stations

Annual Average Mean Annual .. Average Daily Highest Rela tive. Humidity S tation Rainfall in Temperature - Maximum Temperature 'Millimeter } " in °Fo - Temperature Recorded. Midsummer ; Midwinter

i Alexandria 18k 66 87°FS 1 11% - 76% 66%

Cairo. : : 66 , 96°F<1 ll6 0Fo 70% , 51%

Asian: - . very low , v ' 75 : 108°Fo 124°Fo 4o% 26% 5 The Geology of Egypt : The oldest geological, formations are.those comprising the complex of highly resistant crystalline rocks (gneisses^ granites5 ete0) and metamorphosed sediments (slates, and schists) which are fomd in con­ siderable areas around Aswan and in the southern parts of the.Western deserts but are most strikingly in : evidence in the mountain masses of the Eastern desert and in. the southern part of the Sinai-peninsula (l8)b There they have been mueh affected by erosive action^ of Which there is clear evidence^ There are .abundant deposits of limestone and sand­ stone in the area and it is from these rocks that the soils of the desert have been formed» Since the region is aridP chemical weather­ ing is at a minimum and therefore the, soils are largely the result of physical weathering of the roeks0 As is generally the ease where physical weathering: predominates^ the soils are coarse textured and sandy* Tm some parts of the desertg Winds have blown the surface sands into dunes which are so high that they are uneconomical to reclaim*

In the' greater part of the desert province^, the problem of sand dunes is hot a serious one when a part of i t 1 is desired to be reclaimed® d .

Present Although 960 5 percent of the land in. Egypt is desert^ six percent of the world's eettons including the bulk of:the long staple cotton2 is grown here*, Gotten is the most important crop and it occupies

1^579p427* acres of the agricultural lando Other major crops are rices

* According to the statistical data of the Egyptian; Ministry of Agriculture^ 1954<> . : ; 6 , emlomSj, amd lAllet*, These erops account for about 7x>$77j>402f acres* Other crops 'which are oranges, olives, apples,

cherries, plums, pears, apricots, grapes, melons, peaches, pmpants, fig§, persimmons, mangos, bananas, . and. dates occupy an important but" V \ y 'V'/' . ; ■ / 1 y ' - V :. smaller area.comprizing 101,453^ aereso . ;v: v-.

Agriculture is almost entirely dependent upon irrigation water from the; Hile, which has 'its main sources in the equatorial regions ,;v- V . of Central Africa, especially Victoria, Albert, and Edward Lakes* The ■ average annual rainfall in these areas is 50 inches* The lakes act as natural reservoirs and ‘ provide the Mile with a constant supply of water during the year* The main flood of the Mile comes from the Blue Mile and. Atbara livers, which have their origin in Abyssinia and join the

: ;%ite:Mile in 'the Sudan* The level of water in these Abyssinian a fflu e n ts 'i s v e ry low during the winter^ but in summer, when mere than

40 inches of rain falls' between June and: October, these tributaries become rushing torren ts* This i s th e source of the annual flood of ■ the Mile, which starts in Egypt in July, rises to a. maximum in Septem­ ber, and then subsides to a minimum in the following April* The con­ tribution of the aforementioned sources to the flood of the Bile are

roughly 75 percent from the'blue H ie, • 15 percent from the Ihite Bile, • and 10 percent- from the Atbara*

* ,, ; V'V , ■ ; ^ ‘ //i' V ■*' A ' ■■...... , ■ * '2a. seasons when the - flood is below, normal in.height or duration.

* . According: to the, statistical •data of the . Egyptian Ministry of . Agriculture, 1954o: /.t q. y ; .' y:.' . V:--- % ' m considerable part of the land remains uncultivated idiereas in .seasons

ofhi^i floods disastrous results occur0 In the basin areas the water is retained for weeksj, after which it is drained off into the Mile# ■ . .■ v-: ; x; ^ ^ • Sow 20 percent of the cultivated land of Egypt is under this systesao Two great dams now provide a storage capacity of 5r,.6635815 acre feet of water (u)o Aswanj, the first dam to be constructed, is one of the greatest achievements of modem times* It is situated about' 600. miles, south of Oairo an

between May, June, and July- after which the flood begins» During flood season the sluices are opened to permit the excess water to flow.

th ro u # io ' _ '• : ' '■ . : ; • v v ::-. : The second dam, Gabal Aulia, on the White Mile to the south of . :

Khartoum in the Sudan, was constructed in 1937 and provides a storage capacity of 1,471^^21 acre feet of wa-berc, . Masonry barrages were con- • structed across.the river in Egypt to raise the water so as to allow r an adequate flow in thecanals that, through various ramifications, ;

provide the land with water all year rounds It has been the policy of d the Egyptian authdrities to: (a) examine the whole course of; the Sile to obtain the utmost benefit from this mighty river, upon which the very existence of the country depends!. (b) to minimize the enormous quantity, of water lost each year into the,'Mediterranean Seaf. :{c) to ' convert all the remaining basin land (about one million acres) into ,

perennially irrigated land! (d) ho provide a system of efficient

underdrainageo '' v

• ' ■ ■ . • ' ' ' '. ' ‘ ' The new High Dam tfhi'ch is being constructed is expected to store enough .water to irrigate two million additional acres each year, to in-? crease the irrigated acreage from ?fl0005000 to 9-)000^000 acres» It is ejected that ten billion kilowatt hours of electricity will be pro- ' duced annually*'; This power will be available not only for agriculture but for industry, as wello The cost of the damy which is estimated to be SSlSpOOOpOOOj, should increase Egypt8 s national income about .

'$06;0OO^Q0 a y e # (1#;. : : , , 't / : , : t , ' i ’- . ■ •'. ' ■

Quality of the Mile Water' : The Bile brought in.annually about 8 tens of dry alluvial matter per acre/ before the introduction of perennial irrigation in the nine­ teenth centurjo , The deposit increased the. depth of the soil at the rate of approxiaaf ely one centimeter per 10 years0 The change in the system of irrigation from basin type of irrigation which could be throughout the yearg caused a decrease in the amount deposited to be­ tween Oo5~l©5 tons of suspended matter (3 )» , The percentage distri­ bution of. suspended particles; throughout the year are shown in Table ■' .i'.: 'V'Xv";1 ‘ ' - : ' ' : : ' \ / ' ' v The sediment of -the Sile has a high base exchange capacity' (Table 3) 0 Percentage-wise^ the calcium and magnesium dominate the exchange com-- pleXg with sodium occupying a very minor part (l9)0 . ' , - . - ■ ;■ ■ • : . ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ... .. : ;, ■ ... - ■ 1 Table 4 the percentage composition of dissolved solid matter ’in the Sile (19)» ■; : • ■ ; 9 ■

Table 2e Percentage Distribution of Suspended Particles»

Coarse Fine Mean of the months .• Sand . Sand • ■ S ilt .. Clay

Means flood months (Aug0-Movo) 0=2 18,5 26,3 ' 55=0

Means eight, months (Deco-July) 10=8 24=9 64=1 :v ■ I t.

Table 3° Exchangeable Bases in Suspended -Matt er0 mo to- pen 100 'gmSo of dry m atter ,

Mg ; K la- T otal

'37.7: 13=2 0o3 52=2 Table lu . Percentage Cdmpbsltipn of Dissolved Solid Matter In the Hileo

4 - Mg : .01- SO^ , 'PO^:- sm^ Oa#g$m Total Solids*

The mean yearly average l5a7 ho6 H o3 2o6 7,5 31=2 5=4 0a2 7=3 . 20.6 173

. ' V ■ - ..

-a- In parts per million unweighted average 0 ; , . KelJLe^, BraMhs aM Id.etd.g- (20) eonoIMed; th a t th e ra tio of

Ca & Hg s Ha. should not be less than 1 :if harmful effects of. the Ha ■ are to be avoided0 Magistad and Ghristiansen (23) pointed out that irrigation water with a salt content of less than 700 p0p0mo and a ratio of the sum of all other cations to sodium of not less than 1*7 is suitahle for most plants under most eonditions0 If these figures are taken as criteria^ it is evident that the Mile water is' suitable : ■ "■ ■'/ '■ ■ ■'/. ' . ' • • • : for irrigation^, for the total soluble salts range between approzi- ' mat ely 130 to 220 p^poffle j,.. and the ratio of 0a Hg ?. Ha is always

greater than lo

Proposed Hew Development -''1' The governments recognizing the need for an expanding agri­ cultural economy^ is planning to develop additional land for

’• agriciiKure.'(I ■ -OA.- of the available alluvial soils are already ' in cultivation, so it seems desirable to use. some of the excess water on some of the desert soils which lie adjacent to the Delta; the area most easily accessible for development is the Tahreer

Province,, It is proposed to use some of the water which now flows

to the sea in ' developing agriculture in this provinces The amount ' ' \ 'll . of water capable of being stored behini the High Dam w ill be suf™ ' '.'V f ■_ : „ • ' ficient to irrigate all present developme#s% : f ■. v ■ -v .■ _ ' ;v f r y ' .

. 'v ^ V

'A “ - ' •V‘ ‘ v L*** Hi L***

MAP OF LOWER EGYPT CAIRO I % A AFTER CREATION OF LIBERATION PROVINCE Plate 1 Tents used by parties making preliminary r surveys of the Tahreer Province. i

Plate 2 Tractor equipped with jumbo tires for desert travel. ; ■ '

• :.-s - ■

^ ■ > .*»••• - : 3 - ^ :-. v"

. . • L . \ - *:-•. . Plate 3 A canal built in sand before placement of concrete lining.

P la te 1*

Part of a plant where sectional slabs of concrete are molded for lining irrigation c an al e . P la te j A concrete lined canal. The trees on both sides are planted to protect the canal r from sand storms.

Plate 6 Levelling desert soils with a tractor, prior to development for irrigation. 7 An Egyptian Nursery

Trees are started here and transplanted in rows in the desert to protect cultivated land from sand storms. 1 2 fiHBEER PlO H liE

In Aprils 1953s the government created the fahreer Province which lies iiaaediately west of the Delta (Figure 2}s flanked, on the north by the Ifebaria Ganals and on the south by the Desert load (10)$ This province has; an area of 6109 000 acress but by expansion of the boundaries a potential acreage of 200s ©00 aeres might be developed* . Enough water has already been allocated to develop 24s000 acres*; Iheh proposed iiaprovememts in the present storage capacity behind the dam are completed# it is ejected that a total of 610^000 acres w ill; be developed* Before the province was created# the area was given a preliminary examination by soil experts# irrigation engineers# agronomists# etec . (Plate 1# Plate 2)o fheir reports were in general . favorable# So work on th e reclam ation Of th e desert was begun*

fie first - step was te construct the fahreer Canal (Plates 3$ hp: and. 5)3 and to grade unlevel land surfaces. (Plate 6) in preparation for growing Crops under irrigation# This early development was started in the southern part of the province (Plate 7)* .$h@' expansion of irrigated agrieultux,)e into ‘the.' fahreer Province. ■' is expected to increase; the area of arable land in Es^pt by 5 to 10 percent5 lessen the pressure of agricultural areas which are thickly populated! proride means of living to thousands of people Who are

expected to settle in the Province! and improve the social standards of Eg?pt! s rural population (9) o' Reasons other than favorable soil conditions for selecting the %ahreer Province for agriculture development are as follows s It is immediately adjacent to the Belt a of the Mile and can therefore b® irrigated without transporting water great distances* It lies mid­

way between ©air© and Alexandria^* th e two main c itie s o f Egypt* transportation facilities are available and telephone and electricity are being extended into the area as needed* Mater in good supply is found at a depth of about 265 feet* . this water would be used for domestic; industrial,, and immidipal purposes .and to a certain extent for irrigation* ©ondrete is available for construction of buildings* It is planned to build 428 tillages in the province with the aesomEOdations for 230 families in each* Each farmer will be ' allocated five acres adjadent to his village (21)o In the village proper there w ill be a mosque^ school; park; trading center;etc* : / ■; :

Purpose and Plan of the Investigation ,

After, the preliminary investigations Of the land in the Tahreer Province to determine its suitability for agricultural development;

the province was created and intensive plans for its development were . proposed* the problem of determining the variability and suitability Of th e s o il became th e re s p o n sib ility of th e S oil D ivision of the Department, of Agriculture of the province* She investigation con­ sisted of making a semi-detailed survey of the soils* • 1 4 Field Teekalgme The witex^ * 0 was in ekarge of the siM?vey> Mas ©quipped td-th a ll the neeessary equipment for desert, travel amd soil semplingd : The party consisted of the directorj, a driverj, assistant driver^ and 25 lahor@rse The general plan was to take a northwesterly coarse from Om^Safeer Village towards Alexandria^, using the Desert Bead whenever eomveniehtq: At reg u lar in te rv a ls , tr ip s were made in to th e d e se rt:'

where pits were dag in representative areas and soil samples eolleetedc$ There was no evidence that the soil at any of the sampling sites had been distorted* A complete description of the area and of the soil :: profile was recorded* The samples. Were .stored in sloth sacks well labeled* Rainfall* and vegetation information Was used in choosing ■ sampling sites* The Province was divided into six parts according to this scheme** The sampling sites are shown in Figure 2< lone of the sampling areas were more than ten to fifteen kilometers from the next* In travel* ing from south to north there is a gradual change in the soil eharae* te ristic S g namely^ th e s i l t and clay content as w ell as th e GaCO^

percentage increased* Vegetation had a higher density of stand and generally greater growth in the northern part, of the province where higher precipitation is the rule* Profile Description of the Soils; .' ' Soil sampling was begun on April 20s 1954* Samples were, taken ; from a pit -lO meters Ztdng^ ■ 4-^m#e#‘w$dea:;and 5 :meters deep* Careful

* l^ptian leteorolo'gieal Blvision ■ - V

1 5 ■ . esBHilJiatioa of the exposed profile was made in the different strata designated* Soil samples were collected from each stratWo Surface : samples weighing about . 30 kilogtams and subsoil samples of about 3 kilograms were taken from each p it0 The profile descriptions are

; given in Figures 3 - #o : , ■ ■ ; .1.' /

,v

:: -

' ■ • 16

Loamy sand» ■ Surface accumulation of fine grave!,, coarse - sandj, and fin e sand» Beddish colored sand having a low p e rc e n ta g e n f.s ilt and clay*: : - - ' ■ i' Loamy sandP coarser than surface^ Calcareous0 Quite • compact in places^,\ ' !/: ; : : i . Sando Dominantly coarse and fine sands0 Less calcare-" on#than above* ' • , ; / ; ' ' V. ' : ■■ --- , /. ;

Sand» Coarser and le s s calcareous than lay e r above*

Sandy More coarse sand present than in the above layer» fhere i s a decrease in th e amount of fin e sandy This layer is less ealcareons than the. layer abovey v

The silt and clay percentages in this.layer are lower than in any of the above layer So Calcium carbonat e decreases in this layer*

Coarse sand increases in. this layer and fine sand de~ creaseso There is an increase of calcium carbonate*

I '• .-;v

Figure. 3» Soil Profile Description At. Sampling Site Eo» 1

\ - ' ; ■ :- 'Scale Is20 ' , v. . v,: ; v. '; . ' " Profile Eq* Is . This represents the zone receiving the lowest amount ■ . of precipitation in the Province^ 25 - 50 znnio per .1.:. year0 . The:Sampling s i t e .o f th is area was 30 km„.west o f : ' th e Om Saber vlllage and 120 km<,p northwest of Cairo0 ' 1 7 Grn0 0 ^ _ , Coarse sando The percentage of the coarse sand- is the highest in the profile. There is less than 10 percent of silt and clay3 and the percentage of CaCO^ is the lowest in the profilec .. Coarse sand<, The percentage of coarse sand decreases . while the percentage of medium and fine sand increases0 There is a slight increase in the percentage of silt and -clay,. CaCOj percentage increases slightly= TO — Coarse sando The dominant soil separate in this layer - is coarse sando There is a decrease in th e ' percentage . of medium sand and a sharp increase in the percentage of CaCOy 110 — Loamy coarse.sand. This layer contains more very coarse sand than any other in the profile0 The increase of very coarse sand,, coarse sand,3 and medium sand was largely a t the expense oi fine sando The; percentage of silt and .150 — clay is almost double that of the above layers«

. The most significant change in the texture in this layer . compared w ith.these above- is in the decrease.o f coarse Sand and the increase’ in; the percentage of fine sando There is appreciably more CaCOyin this layer than any other in the profileo•

.250.— The outstanding characteristic of this layer is the high percentage of S lit and clay present and. relatively very small amount of very coarse sand and fine sando

3061—

Figure .h° Soil Profile Description At Sampling Site Mo* 2„

' . ’ ■ : ■ ■ - " Scale 1:20:. ' . ’ _ : ; ‘ . Profile KOo 2s The precipitation in this zone averages $0 ~ T% im a per yearo This site is one kilometer northeast of ■ the Desert Road and 135 kilometers northwest of Cairo 0 ./'V * v ■ Sando This layer ■ contains the highest percentage of sand of any in the, profileo There is a minimum of silt and clay0 The percentage of CaGO^ is lowest in two surface horizomsa;; The so il' i s very looseo

■ '•'■■■ ■ ; ■ Loamy coarse sando The percentage of s i l t and clay in ' this layer , is more than double that in the layer abovec : . •’ '' ' y. T h is' lay er •seems to be somewhat . compa,cteds ' ' ■ - y \ y , ::i y

Loamy coarse sando 'This lay er is; le s s sandy than the one' above0 I t contains more s i l t and clay0 The GaGO^ content • approaches 10 -percent0 A few marine shells were en- ; countered at this depth» ■ A few roots had also penetrated , in to th is someviiat compacted ionei ■ : ^

150

Texburally this layer is very similar to the one above0 ; The chief .difference lies in the fact that GaOO^ content has almost dbubled0 This layer is very compacts rocky^ and hardo . f- v ' '

250 In this layer there is a definite increase ^ per- eentage of fihe..;particle -and -a Correspondingdecrease in. the percentage of coarse sand* The GaGOo percentage re- ; niains high in 'this layer 0 The compaction of this layer : ■; i s . very similar to the one: aboves but the soil is mbre: ' 300 - cemented0

.d' ■’ Figure $0: • Soil Profile Description At Sampling Site No* 3o Scale I:#'' Profile Ho0 3« The precipitation in, this area averages between 75 - ' 100 mmo per year* This profile was sampled one kilo- met er northeast of the Desert Hoad and 150 kilometers northwest of Cairo,

;,y . :-v ;:

:y-y. . v . 19

Gnu 0 - Sandy clay loaaio There is a relatively high content of .silt and: clay in this layers Approximately one-third of the soil consists of disseminated lime* The surface . is covered, with desert pavement which contains a few 30- marine shells! :- S andy c la y 0 There is a slight increase in the percentage . of silt 'and clay in this layer 0 It is more compacted than the surface layer* The•percentage of the CaCOv is slight- ly higher than that in the surface layer Q ’ ■ . 70 V".;

Sandy clay loam* This layer contains about the same . 'percentage of . silt and clay as the above layer* The same, . is true of the GaGOo content0 ■ Even though the three" ' surface' layers are quite compacts roots have penetrated to a depth of 150 cm* - : - - 1 ■

1 5 0 -

This layer is coarser than the "overlying strata* There is.an appreciable decrease in the lime content of the l soil and a great deal of limestone cementation*'

250- -.4: . ' This layer is very sim ilar to the one overlying it; the chief difference being that it is more: firmly ' cem en ted T ^ h C^GO^* ^' 4 ,' 4 /'

300-

F ig u re 60 Soil Profile Description At Sampling' Site So* ■' 4*:

v-,.;' Sedle 1?2Q - ' 4% - . ':4 . f :

Profile lo* 4? ' The precipitation of th is zone averages between' 100 - 125 mm* per year* This profile was sampled ;4 . one .kilometer northeast of the Desert load and 165 kilometers northwest.of Cairo 0 • I,

■ " 1' 4',, /./v; Qnio) 0^ Clay loamo This layer is relatively fine textured and ; ■ '' ; contains a high percentage of CaCG <, It has a little ' gravel ■ m the: surface.0 ia not cemented and contains, :3© roffjf s. of ^dy pert plant So There is some evidence that the

Sandy' clay Xpsm , This/layer; is somewhat sandier than , the surfaces more compacted; and has. a sim ilar CaCO^ 7QE c o n te n ts ... - ' . ; / ' . '■ Clay loam* The silt, and clay content of this, layer is slightly' less than in the above layer and there is a corresponding increase in the. sand content* The CaCOo , eontent is only slightly less than in the 30 •= 70 cm* - . layerj, bnt it is rather firm ly cemented*

The same; tendency in the increase in the percentage of sand prevails here as in the above l a y e r T h e r e i s a decrease in silt and clay* The Ca@0„ percentage is . almost the same0 , ..";V:/ ■ ; ;

250 6-,: There is a sharp decrease in the percentage of silt and' clay in this layer| an increase In the percentage, o f s a n d a n d OaCQs* = T h m s \la y e r i s i e s s cem en ted and. compacted than any:. of the above strata* '. . - ■>: 300. r

F ig u re % Soil .Profile, Description At Sampling Site Po0 .5o

1 ' Scale/l?2©; d V' / ■ : ■ . . -• Profile No* 5» The precipitation in th is area averages between / . / , ■' ;. 125 ■= 150 iximo1 per yearo This sample was taken one kilometer northeast of the Desert Soad and ISO ■ :: . 'v Mlometers northwest of ,Cairoo?: .: ; 21

'Loarflo The s ilt•and clay content of this soil constitute about half of the entire soilo The SaCOj is extremely ■ high but is not cemented in th is layerc Numerous roots ' are present o . . .. - '' . " • - ' Olay loam. The silt and clay contest of this soil is greater than that of the surface layer0 There is slight increase in' lime content which has caused some cementation . but not so much-that it has Interfered with root pene­ 70. t r a t i o n , .

Clay loam Texturally this layer is very sim ilar to the layer immediately above0 There is a- sharp increase in the CaGO^ content and some fossile shells are present* Boots seem, to enter th is layer without difficulty*

150

There is little change in the silt and clay percentage in this layers but there is another sharp increase in the lim e' content * The, layer is vezy compacted and no roots were in evidence*. ''

2504- This- layer contains slightly less silt and clay than the ■: One above and-there is a slight increase in the amount of ■ fine sando A 'little over half the soil consists of dis­ seminated CaCOcj but there is no cementation present* . ‘ 300

'' ^Seale ls20' -: :.;r‘7 V::' '

Profile So*' 6: The precipitation in this area averages between 150 - 175 aa* per year*‘This profile was sampled three-quarters of a kilometer northwest of the Desert Road and 190 kilom eters .northwest - of Cairo* 22

■■■ the profile samples were taken to the Egyptim Agrdeoltnral

Soeiety Laboratory at Sezirap BQrpfco 'Here they, were cataloged and.

, prepay# for '#had.@al, aM physical .analyeiso..; ' ; V - _ - ;

The laboratory investigations included such studies as were

thon#t to be significant is. evaluating the soils as to their suit-

ability for agricultural developme#<> . . . . . ;'

; Ac,. Preparation of the' Sampleso • ■ :'i.-=y 1 ;;. - ■■' ■ - •; /

Soils were bron#t to the laboratory and allowed to air dry0 ' The

. soils were then .©rnshed''with'a;rubber pestle in a m ortar' to ■ break

th e: aggregates apart withoat breaking down the ultim ate partieles0

: * ■ They were then passed through a two m illim eter sieve and: the

portion of the particles larger than two millimeters (coarse

: earth) was d@teraiaed»: : '

Bo ' Ohenaical Debertinationso' %' . ;..V .

The soil passing throng th e two, m illiraeter screen was .saved for

chemical and physical analyses (Plate 8 P 9)o

: le' A' Is 20 so il water estraet was prepared by’ mining 50 grams of

soil with a litre of distilled water and shaking in a mechanic

: cal. shaker for three honrs0 Samples were then filtered .

thron#. Oha^eriaad candleSo' The filtrate; was analysed aeeorS=

: ing to the procedures listed in Piper (27)?

ao Galeitan was precipitated as the oxalate and titrated with : ' ’.v,-; / . ■ ■. -v ... . potassium permanganateo

V" P la te 8

The author making chemical analysis of the Tahreer soils in the Tahreer Laboratory.

-EGYPT-

P la te 9 b» Magnesiw .was preeipiiated with sodlw phosphate solutioBd

the precipitate was filtered and ignited to magnesium

' ■ '' ■' ■" ■; ' . - . . ' ■■ ■ . pyrophosphate and wei^iedo

e* Sodim was estimated from the difference of the equivalence

of anions ©Ter cationso

da Oilorides ####''titrated with standard silver nitrate using

potassium etetraie as indicator© .

®o: Sulfates were preeipitei with barium chloride^ filtered^ '

igaitedj; and weighed as barium snlfateo. '

fo Carbonates were titrated with. Z potassium hydrogen sul= .. W' ■; ;■ ; •.■ ■ ■ '. . v fate and not by the procedure outlined by Piper (5)©

' ■Phenolphthaiid.n iiidieator was usedo-

„ .. , ■ .■ -.■■■... . g© BScarbomtes were also determined by using the potassium

hydrogen sulfate© Methyl© orange indicator was used to

determine theend'point of the titration (5)©

ho Total soluble salts were determined both by evaporation

of an aliquot of the soil extract and by the sum of the ;

eatiohs and anions determined© .. '

,20' Water soluble phosphate was determined, on the Is 5 soil-^water

extract to which ammoniw molybdate ..and stam s® chloride had

been added to develop the molybdenum blue color© The intensity

of the color was determined by a Lumetron colorim eter using

a 650 m filter (22)©

3©' Organic carbon was determined by a m odification of Walkley=

Black wet combustion method© The results^ere m ultiplied by

2 to get the organic matter (2?)© • ■. - - 4o aii;2:©S0& wag; det.er^laed by'tli©' Kj.eMaM met/hodd. 5d Total potash was determined bg-. precipitating the potassium x . : \ :' , : ■ V ■ ■ la the eoae^itrateS H61 estraet of the soil with perchloric ■ ■ ’. - ■ ■ ..." ' v . ■■ / - v . - . ' • ; .' aeitie la llss method (27)o. H ie potassium perchlorate was filtered^ washed^ md wei#ed is- E @1 0^Q: ' • : .60 Total phosphoric acid was determined by the McLean method (26)0 ■ Briefly the method consisted of digesting the soil sample with sulfuric and nitric aeids9 evaporating to dronesSj, diluting^ filtering^ and. finally adding ammonium molybdate and stannous. chloride to develop the color which was read on '.a lumetrom colorimeter# ... : ,r . . v. ' t.V ::. 7o The calcium carbonate equivalent was determined vOlumebrically • using the ^llins; ©al^ ■ • : ■ . ..

80 The loss on ignition was determined by heating a sample of soil

• to 600°@o for three hours in a muffle furnace and weighing the

ignited sample* : '. ; . ■■■ • . % pH measur emenb s were made on the Is 5' soils water suspension . using a Beckman pH Hieter0 Gb Physical Determinationso Hie soil' was screened to two millimetersa The particles which did apt pass through the. sieve were weighed and the percentage of the

Whole determined^ This fraction is known as coarse earth as eoB== . ■ ; , ._. ' ; • ■ 'h'feoii,. ■...... trasted with the fine earth- which. passed through the screen and. upon which a ll; subsequ^t analyses were madeo lo Particle site distribution was; determined on the fine earth ' ' ■ ' : ■ . /; : ■ - . ' • 25 ' portions of the soil by means of the ^Beaker™ method (27)o Pretreatment with hydrogen peroxide and hydrochloric acid was part of the procedure© The results were expressed as percent” ' age of coarse sand.s fine sandc, silt and elays and CaGG^

equivalent on the water free basis© The diameter limits of these soil seperates are coarse sand (2 = 0o2 millimeters)^ fine sand (0<> 2 ^ 0&02 millimet ers) s s ilt (0o02 -= Go002 s illi^ meters) (, and clay less than 00002 millimeters© The silt and clay ff-aetions were not separated from each other© All re­ sults are expressed on the oven==dry soil (27)© ■

Z., ’ - " ' . ’ ; 2o Moisture percentage was determined on the air-dry soil by: / dryimg ln ^m oven 24 ho 105#© : - \ ' :

3o Moisture equivalent determinations were, made on all samples

by the Briggs and McLane procedure (2?)» B iological Test© In order to determine the fertility status for these soils both chemical and biological methods were employed© The chemical method has already been described© : 1© Seubauer Test© ' '• This method., consists of growing 100 idieat seedlings (Hindi ’ ©isa 135 “ E^pt) for 18 days in a mixture containing 100 gps© of air«dry soil and 300 gas©, of sand© At the end of the eighteen days the plants were harvested and analysed (Plate 10)

The weight of phosphorus and potassium taken up by the seed~. lings in each pot is an indication of the fertility status of Plate 10 Neubauer test, seedlings of wheat, Hindi Giza 135, used in determining the available and KgO in the Tahreer soils.

Plate 11 The author making physical analysis of the Tahreer soils at the University of Arizona Laboratories. ■ ■, '• ; ■ : ' : V ^-vvy'; : 26 . the soil with respeet o f tiiese two elements (2}» ■ ■ , • In addition to th is works "samples were; shipped from Egypt to the University of Arizona 'where 'additional studies were conducted (Plate 11)#

The importance of knowing the soil water, relationships in soils having such a small• portion of silt and clay seemed important^ so water re-

tentiou studies were conducted on these soilso Water retention at 1 , , ' ; ' ' . : : ^ . ■■■■ - . • ' 10 ' ' Ip and 15 atmospheres was determined* Methods outlined by Richards 3 ' ' : : ' • ' ' ■, ' ■ ' , . ;■ ' ^ ■ (2# were followed* ' -

• ' •: - CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SOILS

P rofile:-1

'» , ' This soil 'w&s, sashed in the,. mq part of the Tahreer . Proviticeo / It? is very sandy with' only 2Q6 to %6 pereent. of combined ■’ silt and ' clay. Table It s water f etentlon as' det ermined by :

moisture equivalent is yery Ipw^ also percent of'moisture retention as determined by the pressure membrane> is low. The trend of moisture held is from’the surface layer to the lowest layerP corre­ lating with the percent of silt and clay present. It is predicted ' , that the soil will be very droughty if it isdeveloped for irriga­ tio n . • There is little variatidn in texture throughout the profile

except that the 0-40 chu, . zone is lower in sand, than the underlying , strata» The percentage of coarse earths which had been screened Out before analysis, varied between 4« 2 and 26.0 percent in the

various s tra ta of th e . p ro file ^ , There, is- a moderate amount of QaCOg ;’ throughout the profile with the highest concentration appearing in /

the surface 40 cm. : . From the;standpoint of total soluble salts the laboratory

. analysis': showed that the; soil contains e^eessive amounts of salt - for the growth of plants. Table $-B. The CasMa ratio of the Is 20 , ■ .1;:/// .;■■■■■■.,' ;:/y /';:/./r I" ■ extract 6f the soil shows that most strata of this soil have a Cat la - ,, i . \ ; - ratio' of less, than 1,0,. It is felt however that because of the sandy n

Table 5»A»- P ro file Ho0 X

Moister©, detention Atmospheres Tension a g d f - l / i o . ; i /3 ; .- 1 15 V ll a t— f 1 2 .5 l.:12o-2' ' :%13 ..:lO*37l

\ 19o%& y?3olT ; v me® :.. 6o92 : : | 9 .3 .; f : % 2 } - 2y50 , , 6<,8@ -. r - -;-.i .: ' V 6o38 :' -i M»2o:; i v ; M J . - .60:6 ■0 6o0 _ lo?3 |m ko m . : : , ■ ■ ; 1 - ,#-110 *- ' lt<>22 7 7 ^ .17o32::; 6o5. 4 3 I08I ./hod ■ '' - ’ :i - •• ■ 1.210=150 : '2 6 o # / - 8o o!i8 V ; 15^28 ■; 3.53 -' 5oii K.5 i 0;6o j■: ' 3o.8C. . , . , o coca 150=250 :: 9ol2, • 85 86 H 4O&. 2 ^ 5 j

' 250= 300 . 8# 86 <=>=*. | ■ 1L50 1 , : V ~

% h below' or less: ttian Table '$-Bo P rofile .Noo 1

: ^ CHAUCAL AMLYSIS : ^ . s . . : . 1 ■ Soil-Sater Attract A c i d • Is 20 ' ji 1*5 E xtract i a l I s A -e P oP gTOq . PopoBlo T^SoSci- . I ' : 1 l l - PH l j r Evapo SWo ' Ga4"4. la 4 > r 003]I hco3 p8°S .. u %20 Jip205 ' 1$; 0=30 7600 6827 6W1 Trace 1836 3160 580 0 >17 . >015 1700 321,.: > o!38 80 ' j ,

## 16800, 15099 3ti32 Trace 1221 2670 7260 0 616 >38 bOOl 630 :::236> 6>13 , a. 1|0’”70 7700 37.22' | Trace 1609 670 1930 0 580 ; 161!- , 0O6 : 1073 Wo 'ol3 >: >011,; 1 - 680 70-110 Woo 3786: 372 Trace 7W 1520 1,80 0: Wo, «w 0O08 350 175 : ,03 8,:

110=150 3300 v 338? W9 Trace 818 lilOO Wo ■; 0:. 5W 125 >010 250 186 ;>W1 v : :9c

150.250 2600 2925 li.29 Trace 576 1150 260 0 510 »35 0007 lj.60 166. o015 •.9o

250.300 3700 5 l B 78? Trace 1817 970 1100 1' G Wo > 35 0OO6 200 ' 1716 1 >015 8©' - 11 l. ' : I "nature of the soil5 the .salts could be leached out quite easily witli ' . Nile river water. The' phosphate content as determined on a 1;5.: soilswater extract: 'varies between■0,4 emd 0o10'p6 p»m0 This small amount of phosphate could be supplemented by the use of.phosphate • fertilizers, . The total nitrogen.content is also very low. The soil from the 30-40 cm, depth contains only;0,001 percent of this element. The'highest percentage is 0,015 which is found in the 0-30 'em, stratum.

The acid extract of this soil was analysed for phosphorus and potas-

aiump again th e . surfacestrata was the richest in the .entire profile. Potash was found in concentrations from 1700 p,p„m, in th e surface to 200 p,p,m, in the 250-300 cm, stratum^ Organic matter is extremely low in all of the soils but especially so in the 110-150 cm, stratum.

The highest concentration was found in the surface soil where, the percentage of organic matter was 0,138%, jpE values were measured on a

Is 5 spilswater extract, strata in this soil were found to have a pH value of d,5 du-greater, . ,

Profile' 2 .. \ . - , : . %

The silt and clay content of the various strata is greater in . this profile than in Profile No, 1^, Table 6-A, There is a great deal

more 0aG0q|. present in all strata of this soil than in the previous one.

The moisture equivalent is extremely low in the surface 110 cm,5 but below this there is an appreciable increase in the water capacity of

the soil. This same trend is shown by water retention values obtained . by means of th e pressure p late and pressure membrane methods, (28, 29) PHYSICAL BBLY5IS sehaaieal M aljsi; Moistare Hetentien :

# b - below or .less than/ ' Table 6=B. Profile No0 2 ' -CHEtoCiL SJ1LTS1S' M l "/ - Soil s¥ater Sxrbract . ' ■ ■■ . ti ic id 0 . •PQ^H ti.fi eH Is 20 : BS5 ■■d v - E xtract nST -P& PoPoBio ; 1 PoP©Bl0 pH © ao-caa •&» 43 a ■ O a^ Ka+ n i” HGO^ •H . s s ihr^)0 Sum0 !4g++ .01 s ° r ro3 p2°5 135 P2°5 KgO ■ • . ■1:5 ■ . «

Q™3Q 7ii0 988 % . 0- ; o f 120 130 360 c25 0OO6 130 238 ' '4 o i 9o3 . w . ' 30-70 3-183 286 o 57 120 120 .■ 60 58o >13 o008 182 527 ¥02 ' 39.6

70-110- 360 1316 358 0 , . ;■ 38 180 130 100 5io • o65 o007 9? 1170 o02 : 9.6 no-150 1780 1779 153 Trace 396 :>830 ' 280 170 800 •];>8:2' :J009 137 1000 =015 9o5

150-250 2060. 7889 j 183. Trace .3086 670 380 3H0 58o '-.j|::(>53 oOlO 181 55o . .025 9.6 85o-3oo 5980 2180 1 183 -Trace 597 180 210 .280 870 1jloO O028. ■■220 5255 ,o025 8.6 - ■ ' _.y - There, is macti less salt than in the soil of Profile No». 15 Table 6-B„ The CasNa ratio in the water extract of this soil is much more favor­ able than i t was in P ro file No. 1„ The to ta l soluble s a lts in the 0-150 cm0 depth do not contain prohibitive amounts of salts, although ' the stratum from 1$0 to 250 cm0 carries a fairly high eoneentration.0 The 1:5 soils water extract of PgO^ is low, varying from 0o13 to loO PoPoBo Total nitrogen: is extremely low in this soil and is fairly ■ constant to a depth of 250 dm<. The average" amount i s 0o008%o The

acid extract, of the soilwhen analysed for phosphate is - found to be low i n a l l s tra ta when compared with other p ro file s but the potash i s

fairly high, ranging from -238 to 5255 PtiP»m<, ■ Organic matter is low in all the strata. The pH of a Is 5 soilswater suspension showed high alkalinity in all stratao . This may be associated, to certain extent, with the high percentage of CaGO^ found at this site.

. Profile^ , .v f : p ■ f/-v'd :::: f ' V ;V ; . • The soil from this site contains no coarse earth. Table 7-A, On

the whole there is less silt and clay in this soil than was found in th e s o il a t s ite number 2, However th e re i s an iaereased percentage of silt and clay below 250 em. This is reflected in the water holding capacity as measured by moisture equivalent determinations. The mois­

ture equivalent in the surface .0-30 cm, is 1,28% while in the lower strata the moisture equivalent is 13=89%=, ■ The percent water as deter­

mined at different tensions, shows incfeased amounts of water held as

. the depth increases^ , . . .Vi'':;,.' " ' •

> v’ '■ V ;■ A

Table ?-I0 Profile io0 3 PHfSCCaL ,M Z S IS ■ Heohanieal Analysis Moistme Retention % ■ : . .% ■ P 0 O 0 . : m t o i o2=002':*- ■ b%®2- ; -OaCQ^ ' "Iga*

m 0 ; ' ; ■ iiM. , • : •• ' 31e39 ' ; v ho^h - : ?of5- o9k>> ; ' ■:m9& ; . ; . . ^ ■ „ - ..fe2c, ^ ; :809 8 : K6ep,, -

38»?3 . 8 o37 9

3 1 A ■ ■■■9**9 V i W v : S 3 . ; " i 3 # g j ' -& 5 9 : ' : .16o99 ' *9k # b “ below ©r- less than P ro file No0 3Table 7-B P ro file No0 3Table

GHmiCjlL JEALTSIS Soils Water Extract E xtract p

Trace

2750 ITace

790 590 ;- ..^ \ ; ... - / : . .. While the total soluble salts are rather high for plant groifbhg they coyld be leached out.rather easily before planting any crop. Table 7=B= The Gasla ;ratio in the Is 20 soils water exbract is unfavor­ able» P2O5 in the 1:5 soils water extract is ibw. The total nitrogen content is also low0 The acid extract of the soil when analyzed for

PgOj showed phosphate to be w ell d istrib u te d throughout th e ,p ro file

but present only in relatively small amount s,. There was a considerable variation in the amount of K^O throughout the profile^, but in general it was present in abundance,, Organip matter was found to be deficient in all strata* The pH of Is 5 soilswater extract indicates excessively high values throughout the profile0 This may be associated with the soils .relatively high in lime.,cententv

P ro file H ; . , : - /'i": ' ' '" : ■' : ■ . There was no coarse, earth present in any part of this profile^, Table 8=-Ao The silt and. clay percentages. varied from 17 to 2h% w ith the finer textures occurring in the upper three layers0 The GaGO^ percentages, varied from about 1/5 to slightly, over 1/3 of the soil,

with the higher pereehtage occurring in the three surface strata,, The

• moisture equivalent was quite uniform, throughout the profile with ah average of about l?^o Moisture retention as determined by pressures

.1/3..md .],$ -atmospheres gave relative’ high values which were almost, uniform throughout the profile, (29) so that lack, of available moisture will not be:so serious as in the soils from the southern part

.'of;,,bhe Proyinceo: ; 1 ;:v:. : 1: : : Sabl

Mechanical jm aljsia Moisture Intention % '8 Atmospheres- Tension ir

below or Table 8-=»B0 P ro file Moa It

•. s: CHEfflCSL ANALYSIS ... !l -p ; ; : Soil sWater E xtract 5 Acid ■ ; . 1:20 • E xtract ' | q i Ir-— '■ _ 'V . 1’1 ..1:5 5# 1, ' . • PoPoK ; 0 g^- PopoHlo pH A g f0s»s« • ■ : ' '' ' ' < o %W T ~ . Buffi* :o # ^ 111* • stir OQy I g6 | ?205 : ■ S P2°5 k2o III- 1:5 0-30 9100 536 0 $603 : loco '630 0 0670 0O3I 8 565 lli5o o350 806 w > ■ m 30=70 7500 7399 393 0 2286 3090 760 : o' 876 0670 a0286 590 3650 b220 8*6

70wl30 ii5oo . 8097 207 Trace 2650 # 9 0 il7 0 W 580. - ©0266 . 500 3700 allO 8o5 130.250 12300 10680 13iiU 0 2136 2910 3820 0 170 o250 i.55 1100 0O6O m '• . '

256=300 1 15900 Ib9l47 2181 0 2836 I: 5880 0 o250 001316 :-370 2900 o070 8.3 ■ *4

'''-" , ' ' ''.' r /. /- , '/ „ ' . ' . - . ' '. be reduced to a safe level by leaching during the development program3 ■ Table 8-B»- in analysis■ of the 1:20 sbilswater extract shows the'Ga;®a ratio to be unfavorable but becamse of the high GaCS^ content of the soil this condition should be changed after the soluble salts have been

leached from the soil, fhe phosphate content of the 1°5 soilswater

extract is slightly higher in the surface than in the other profiles but'still so low that it will probably requirephosphate treatment»

The total nitrogen' content was low throu^iout the profile as was the

PgOg in the strong acid extract 3. while much higher than in the previous

. profile., ..'vv-' ' The KoO content is higher in the surface layers than in the lower part of the profile. As, is to be expected the organic matter, content is low throughout the profile with the . greatest accumulation in the / surface layer. The pH of the Is $ soils water extract is higher than de.sifable,> . ; : ;

::Profilev5 : ; , f . . . . There are no coarse earths in; this profile*; The silt and clay

content in the surface 250 cm* is higher than in any of the other

profiles examined. Table 9-A* The GaGQ^ content averages 25% and the

moisture equivalent between 11 and 20%.* Water retention measurements

of 1/10,■ 1/3 and 15 atmospheres of tension show averages of 34* 5%, 32% and 12% of water held respectively* This soil holds more water than any of the previously examined profiles* r

''' £

Table

physical w m m sis

MeohaBieal • Analysis . Moistug® ^Betentioa. ^ Atmospheres • Teasiom

ttoTOV; :, S6?'

below or less than, 3

GHEEEGiL MiLISIS Soils Water Estraot,

30gfa : , :0

§3700 : 42 The salt content of the entire p’rofile is ezeessiTe for plant growth. The salt ■will: have to be leached away before economic plants can be grown,, Table 9-B= The GasNa ratio of the Is 20 soils water extract is unfavorable to a depth of 150- cm0 ' The PgOg content of Is 5 soils water extract is lows as is the total nitrogen content. The strong acid extract of the soil is relatively low in and KgO. The organic matter content of the surface layer is higher than in some of the other p ro file s examined* but s t i l l , must be considered d e fic ie n t0 The- pH- • : values are relatively high* but these will undoubtedly change after the salts have been leached out and soluble calcium allowed to dominate the exchange complex.

P ro file 6■ As,judged. ;frpm its silt and clay content the soil in Profile Ho. 6 is the finest textured of any of the soils examined in the Tahreer ' Province* Table .10-A. Below 150 cm. the soil is made up of approximately 50% CaO&* arid in the surface three strata there is a gradual increase in the lime content from 27 to 41%= The moisture equivalent was very uniform throughout the .profile varying from 17 to 20%. Water held by ' the soil, against l/lb* 1/3 and 15 atmospheres tension showed consider­ able ambunts retained* with an average of 32%* 30%* 10%* respectively. The to ta l soluble s a lts are s lig h tly above th e value in which

plants, grow well* but since the soil is loamy in nature* not too much • difficulty should be encountered in leaching them to a safe level* Table 10-B<, , In spite of the fact that therd is an unfavorable Gas la Profile Bfo

PHISICiL SIS1YS1S Moisture Retention Mechanical .Analysis Atmosphere Tension

$ i& m ’ v

* i> -o: below or . less than mirniG&mi&zsxs Soils Water Extract ratio in the Is 20 soilswater extracta The content, of the Is 5 soilswater; extract is sijailar inimagnitnde 'to that found in 'Profile -' f Noo 5 except the hl#iest concentration :of PoOc in Profile No. 6 is

■• •• ■ ■ -■■■ ■■ y -: ': "' highest below 150 cm. while in Profile .Noi 5 there is np phosphate :, f below 150 cm. The total nitrogen content averages a little ,higher : than in Profile •No. 5» The P2O5 and EgO as determined on the strong acid extract show that the soil is on the borderline with respect to KoO and PoGco The organic, matter content of the,surface soil is higher than in any of the other layers. .The pH of the Is 5; soilswater

extract is WpfaTorably Ni# may change if the soil i s ir r ig a te d .; . / . : \ , i: % ...... , ' •' ' ' . i ' %

Neubauer Tests ' •vv,- ■ t • Sm?face soils only were used in making Neubauer studies. Table 11, Plate lOo They were made to determine the status of the soils, with respect to available phosphorus and potassium. The weight of PpOc per . 100 grams of s o il varied from 4oB5 to 8.15' m illigram s, Sim ilar detery. minations for potassium, showed that the KoO content variM from 0.02 . .to 41.95 m illigram s per 100 grams of s o il. fable 11o Heubamer Test for Available Phosphorus. and Potash

Available. ; Humber of P ro file

H atrlent EleBient 4 . 5 6

Mgms» PgOc/100 gms of s o il 5c 25 , 6015 ' 8.05 4c85 6o65 8=15 \ , , o r ' ' , ■ ■ ' . Mgms„ PO^/lOOgms of so il 7o02 : Bog: - 6c 48 ' 8=85 10=84

Mgmso EgO/lOO g a s:of s o i l ' :## 2c 05 0o02 41c 95 24=95 29=97 ; ■ or Hgnso K/100 @ns of so il ' 19 o4 lo72 ; >018 34=4 20=96 25=06

^ .

-

"'"y. ; >' y. ' ■>;. ' " - ■ . • vV; -' - : ' ,l " ' ; ■ ' v- , ' (’ ■, .■ y '• -, ■ ■ ■■ * •

" ' .. ^. ' '■ 7-'t. /;>• 'V

.'f /--j; , 4 ; - ■■■ Depth in Centimeters iue . itiuin f l > ly hogot the 4> Throughout Clay ilt S of Distribution 9. Figure oie t ah apig ite. S Sampling Each At rofile P content Depth in Centimeters iue 10 Figure srbto o COo hogot h Profile CaOOo P The of Throughout istribution D t ah apig t . ite S Sampling Each At a O cnet pr cent per CaCOg content, Depth in Centimeters iue 1 Ditiuin Ognc atr Throughout Matter Organic f o istribution D 11. Figure h Prfl A Ec Sie. ite S Each At rofile P the Organic matter content 0,3 i VOllU iue 2 Rltosi Bten h Ognc atr otn o the of Content Matter Organic the Between Relationship 12, Figure Cairo 120 fan. l o Ter itne otws o Cairo, of Northwest Distance Their to il o S itne n km. in Distance 5-5 cm. 150-250 010 cm. 70*150 5-0 cm. 250-300

V .:vv. >

DISCUSSION OF RESULTS .

V

■ The field'and laboratory studles of the soils of the Tahreer

Province were Initiated ip ril3 1954c Methods of sampling and of

analysing the soil# have been treated in an earlier section in this

thesis. . • // - 's'::; \ ;"V

Texfcure ; : ' :'V ' ' ■ ':s ': '• : ; : One of- the most important properties of the s oils in the Tahreer ' Province which govern their use for agricultural purposes is the teztnre. Examination of Figure 9 and 10 shows that the soils in Profiles ly -2 and 3 fall into a similar category, while' soils in Profiles 4j> 5"and 6 fall into a second category^ It will be noted : - F ...... /■v-.-tt: -if: ' -v'- j ; . ' - ■ ■■ ■ ■ • that the silt and. clay content and thp CaC% content of the Soils in ' ' ; ' : p ; - Ip ;,.; ■ \:v :<•■■ ■■ ■•■ - - the second category are all hi#er than those; of the first group. '

Variations in the composition of the soil in each profile are evidento The lack of any •uniform, increase of s i l t and" clay or GaCCq

in, the subsoil of these profiles .would tend to support the. theory that the soils have -not developed in place but instead were trans- " .

ported, and deposited in layers, superimposed bn each other. > • ‘ : ' .F: r, v* •: • Water Eetentlon y-\: :, : ability of soili to :tibld Bolstere becomes more critical as ' / ; ■ < ' , ‘ .v the texfcure of the . soil becomes coarser. ' If extremely coarse textured

5 , ' :, - , : .■■■ ■ | .48 soils are cultivated they will be fouEd to be very drou^tity and to require an .excessive: amotmt of irrigation water for the production of common field crops= The permanent-wilting percentage as defined by Veihmeyer and Hendrickson (36) is the lower limit of water available for plant growth in non-saline soilo For all practical purposes, the 15 atmosphere percentage (28) can be used as an index of the permanent wilting percentage and, therefore, also as ah acceptable index of the lower limit of the available range of soil moisture^ It has been found by the United States Bureau of Reclamation (35) that for the sandy so ils occurring on the luma Mesa, Arizona, the' water retained in a sample qf soil at the 1/10 atmosphere percentage satisfactorily approximates the upper limit of available, water under field conditions. while 1/3 atmosphere' (29) is used for finer textured soils o'. Then the amount of water available.to plants is represented by the difference . between these two lim its, presuming that the upper lim it of available water represent the field capacity,. and the lower limit of available water represent the permanent wilting percentage,, (4) There was no attempt ih: this discussion to study the relationship between the amount of pressure applied and the available water„

Therefore, if. it is assumed that the available water is the differ- enee, between the water held at atmosphere tension in sandy or 1/3

.atmosphere in heavier textured soils and 15 atmospheres, it is notice­ able that this amount is lower in the southern part than in the northern : . r;. ... part of the Provinceo' The average water retention of the 1/10 and 1/3

•v,.’ ■

/ ' v v > r

;^V- 49 atmospheres tension for the first three profiles are 11% and %1%

.respectively "while the average is 32c35% and 30o04% for the area -.V;':; ;" represented by Profiles 4$ $ and 60 It is also obvious that the : amount of moisture, held; against 15 atmospheres for the three '• ■ southern profiles, averages l 06l percent while for the three . / , norbhern. profiles- the average is 10o36%o . Then the average amount / ' of-.'available moisture, for plants in the south is9o39 percent 9 thile ; .. . the average of available moisture percentage increases in the north-

:half; to 19d'6| percent. It is also evident that the .amount of . moisture in the surface layers ispless than that found in the sub- ;/v . surface layers» The correlation between either, available moisture ‘ • ■ percentage or moisture equivalent, and the percentage of silt plus p .:C layyis\q#tS ',obvious* ' ' p-'. ; b-: '.'

m ro g e n ^ •'-V ' .' Desert.'soils are characteristically deficient in nitrogen. The spilsofthe Tahreer Province are no except ion» In contrast with the

nitrogen content of the Prairie soils of the United States (24), which

- , ' ■■ „ .. ■ may contain more than 0»4% W nitrogen, they are decidedly deficient „ :x:x; . They are more .■ comparable with the soils of the Toma Desert (15), which ■ have been developed for irrigation,. The virgin Yuma Desert soils have

' ' . ' • . an average nitrogen content of 0o007$ in the surface 24 inches while ' : the soils of the Tahreer Province have an average of CL 030% to a depth.

■ . ©f 0^70^: ^ l:«> ■

■■

P", ' -v^ ' p - : Organie. Matter - ' \ The correlation between organic matter atii total nitrogen in soils is too well known to be discussed laereo Both are found to be : / V'i i:-Y :: Y ' -'ll ;; :; - ^ V'?:V: deficient in desert soils* Some variation in the organic,content of the soils was found in' different. parts of the Province^1 :%en the percentage of organic matter was plotted against distance northward , from Cairo to ilexandria it was found that the■soils fell into two natural groups; with respect to organic matter. Figure 12„ Profiles ■ 1,2 and 3, the three profiles which occur in the • southern - drier part of the Province,, were comparatively lower in organic matter, than so ils from th e north which are found under more humid conditionso The organic matter content is higher, in the surface layers than - in the underlying strata.' (Flg<>ll) • '• v

; • , The pH values listed on Table 5B = lOBwhere determined on the

Is 5 soilswater• extract seemed rather high.so this phase of the problem was investigated further, . Of great importance is the effect of the

high salt content on the' .pH of the soil. The salts will naturally be leached from the soil during the reclamation process and if the exchange complex of the soil is dominated 'by sodium, alkaline hydrolysis w ill ' result causing a high, pH in the soil*

. .'■•••: , , . , . . . PH measurementSvWWe'.made. oh th e ,s b ll past#;, and on th e Is 5 and , ‘ . '.. • ■ ■. ■ • .... - ' X ■ ■ ■.■: ■ ■ ' . Is 101 soil water . suspensions before, and aft er removal of salt s'« • The - results of" this pH study are given in Table 12* In general the pH ■ : increased after leaching and with. greater dilutions of water- It may x< 51 , p# 7^ of the Soils ' --,' ; ,

: Measurement’s were made; before and after .diluting^ ■ ■ and before'and after the1 removal of salts.

: ■ ■■ > - / - , V'' 'V '1" , 1 X, r r l ■ ■ ' $able IS, : rX . ',.4 " ’

X'X: v'^P^S^'vX'v ; - •■■■ ■ j*5 B lO

' P r o file Depth Before A fter Before After Before A fter ' ' - Ho,'. ' in cm . . lea ch - ; lea c h - lea e h - lea c h - leach­ leach= vingv:. . ..ing : :;.-ing ■ la g ■ in g in g , • . '

■ x: '' \ ,■ f X v'Y'' :/ ’ 0-30 6 7 .7 So 4 9 .2 So 6 9*4 30-40 7o9 SoO . So 2 So 6 So 25 ' 8*9 . 40-70 ; 7# ':: So 05 So3 . ; 9o0 ' 8*4 9*3 70-110 . ■ S ol So 5 : So 7 9.3 So 9 9*45 110-150 : ,802 So 45 So 7 9.25 8*9 . 9*4

' v " ■ •. 0-30 . So 3 - So 7 :So9 . 9*0 9*0 9*4 -: 2-:::■ ■ 30-70, , So6':;;. 9 .0 9.3 9*4 . 9.3 : : •9 .5 70-110. So 4 So 9 ■ 1 9*2 9 .2 9*25 9.45 110^150 ’ ; So 2 So 6 . ;;::9*1 ; : ■ 9*5 : .•:.9*2 9 .5

0-30 Sol So 6. 80S 9 .1 ' 8 .9 ' 30-70 ■ ' - SoO : S # . 8*8 1 •9*2 , ■ ' 9 .0 : 9*3-.:• 70-150 ■;;So2::;'v, . So 7 , 9 . 0 .. 9=3 9 o l : 9*4 ;

■ 0-30 : ■: % 4 . S,45 9^2; :. ' 8*6 9*4 ' ''^ -1;:4. : 36-70 7o7 So 5 ' : ': So5 . ' . '9.27 So7 9*4 70-150 SoO ; S„2 :: So 2 . 8 .8 . 8*3 . . 9*0 ;

0-30 7*9 So 05 ; t S i l So 5 8*15 ■ 8 .6 30-70 SoO ■ So 5 " So 5 : 9*3 8*65 9 .4 5 ':- 70-150 ■ 7=9: SoO . SoO 8*2 So ; 8o:27

0-30 - Sol . ; : So 5 So 55 9*0 ; So 6 9*1 30-70 SoO: So 5 So 5 ' 9 .1 : 8*7 9*2. 70-150 8 .2 . 8*87 : M ., # . ■ 9*3;;'

' ' ■ 1 '

% V'V ' ■. ,, - - '' ’ : ■ ' 1 ' - • be noted also that pH of the paste in general is higher in the first three profiles than.the soils of the north a These high pH values ; . ; . • ' ' ; ' . ' ;.; h . ■ . ' ' ' should not be looked upon, with alarm for the following reasons „ In the first place the values are not extremely high* Secondly the high . • • ■' - ' :■ ' • . - . ' ■' : ' . : - , . . ■ - ■ values may be due to the hydrolysis of calcium earbonateo And lastly ' ■ ' ■ : ' . i - : .■ the irrigation water^from the’Nile has a favorable Gas Ha ratio and

also carries sediment .which has a favorable GasHa ratio« A knowledge of the base status of the soils would, help in determining whether the high pH values found in the leached soils is due to the hydrolysis of

CaZ2 or HaZ, It is .realized that .labofatory tests are indicative of field conditions but are not always quantitative, hence if the high pH is found to be due to HaZ hydrolysis and the Ga already present in the soil is;'not sufficient to bring about favorable conditions,,

Special Study of Gharaoteristics of The Surface Soils of The Tahreer Province ."V ,v' Since the surface layer is. the most important layer in the profile^ it was studied in greater detail than any of the underlying' strata.

Minerals ■'. I" . ..

A mineralogical study using a petrographic microscope was made of the surface layers from 0-30 cm, in each of the six profiles. This study showed th a t in each case from 90 ~ 95% of the minerals are quartz.

In the soils in Profile 4<, $ and 6 there was an appreciable amount of

* Personal communication from Fred Peirce, Geology Department^ •: University of Arizona, siltj clays and carbonates covering the sand grains,, The degree of coating of the sand grains from Profiles 15 2 and 3 with silt, clay and carbonates is less than the last three profiles0 Sand grains in P rofile. ?Ioi;3^ a r e - ^ clean*- ■ i/ i.- -■ v , Other minerals found are Orthpclase,. Plagioclase (probably oligoclase), Zircon, Rutile, Hornblende, Muscovite, Epidote, Apatite, lagnetite, Ilmenite, Tourmaline, Biotite, and Garnet„ Soils from

Profile Bo o 3 contain some cal cite and from Profile Hoc 6, some Hematite* : vi

Nitrogen In studying the fertility status of the soils it was shot-m that the Tahreer soils are low in nitroge% especially in the south. The v amount of nitrogen in the surface increases very rapidly from south to north with the increased amount of rainfall (Figure 13)® Phosphorus and Potash ^ - V' ' : \ .-V:

In the case of available PpOg and EgOg Neubauer and Schneider (32), working under European conditions and using rye seedlings established"

average lim itin g values of 8 mgms* PgOg and 24 rngms* EgO, showing th a t ' the European, level of fertility is much higher than can be profitably maintained in the United States. • Using Indiana soils, Thornton (34) suggested threshold limit values of 4 mgmso P^Og and 10 mgmso using rye furnished by G* Go and L», G.' Hutzler> South Manitou, Michigan, which had proven satis­

factory for this purpose: (935) * ; - -V : Under; Arizona eonditions HeGeorge. found that 5o3 mgmso of POi,

. and .8<, 3^ a s as

. : : - ' . : 1 ■ ' . ... ■■■■■ - ' ' . : ; ' : , ' : '. : . ■ stition send of the1 Yurna~Gila project^ and a strain of rye' recommended

,by Eehbauer $16)Vy' v ',1 'r. • ' Under Egyptian conditions tentative limit values for deficiency ' , ; l . ! ’ ■: , . ? : f'"'V.. ■; V; ' '■ '-I'".! ' ' ' / ' ' were 7.m©ns0. PgO^ and, 24 mgas0 KgO per 100 grams of s o il (2)» Uniform

selected 100 grain, lots of wheat,: Hindi Giza 3.35^ averaging 4o5 grams ih weighty were us'edpi -i i t ■ should he remembered that these -values were ' established for delta soils and may require some modification when

■\ - used for desert soils* ' •

Thornton concluded (33) that where single severe defiedenees exists ail methods of deteimining the deficiency give correct indica­ tions as to the available nutrient supply of the soil* in numerous instances the correlation between the different.- methods of determining the deficiency were very poor*. Generally the results of the Efeubauer method are found to be in closest agreement with the results of pot \ and field tests, #ien proper consideration,is. .given to other possible,

limiting faptops*;; '.v / ; , -h. ,. .

: /Ab .. WoGeorge' C25) m^itioned in his study on the modifications, of the Heubauer method, the Neubauer test, like the chemical analysis of

' a soily is an empirical ■ one, because the' conditions must be closely •

adhered' to in order to obtain quantitative values« ' l&en the Heubauer test is modified by comparing uptake of nutrient elements by rye and other seedlings the data are confused by lack of uniformity of seed*

- Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture - Seed Certification DivisioBo -''' ' ,; r ^ r j / : : - - -.:;/;:: ; ^ • 55 There is, however, strong evidence that the arrailability measured with rye seedlings is applicable to mjany other crops o Correlation of PGi values is good for rye, wheat, barley, and tomatoes and is fair for corn. The K values show a good correlation for all.seven crops.; There is evidence, then, that though different seedlings extract different amounts of the nutrim t elements from the soil because of a difference in feeding power and requirements, the directional trend* of their uptake curves is in good agreement (25)» In the case

: ; . ' v 'V ':v ' ' ' : v - r . "■ . : - > of available ^2®5 KgO, if the average levels suggested by MeGeorge . for Superstition sand on the IpW Mesa,; Arizona, ape used to indicate, defieiemcy lim its, on the Tahreer Province they would all be above the deficiency lim its, except the area represented by the second and . third profile. . V ■ .,v,: / , , The amount of available Kg© i s below, th e threshold value established for Arizona desert soils. Table H» However,' if the levels used for Egyptian soils other than those in the sandy desert.are used as a criteria for deficiency; all the soils of the Tahreer Province will require the addition of phosphate fertilizers with different quantities according to their degree of deficieney0 The area represented by Profile 3 w ill show the greatest deficiency■ followed by Profile 2, 1,

5, 6 and 4, listed, in an ascending order for available Kg©*

Texture - - % : . The texture varies between'loanp- or sand for the southern part • while it varies between sandy clay loam or clay loam or loam in the • Moisture Equivalent Percent N itro g e n Percent

0 mm. precipitation 2S SO 75 100 135 150 17p 50 75 100 125 ISO 175 120 135 150 165 180 190 120 135 150 165 180 Distance in km. Distance in km. .Cairo tCairo Alex.j Figure 14* Relationship Between Nitrogen Content Or Moisture Equivalent of the Surface Soil to Precipitation and Distance Northwest of Cairo.

16 1812 14 16 1812 20 22 Moisture equivalent content, per cent « Figure 15. Relationship Between Silt + Clay Content of Surface Soils to Their Moisture Equivalent. -,v■ ’ -- r^' ' : / •.* A ■ . v* ' A.;A . 56 ; m0#hern:'pa,pt; ; the s ' - Is according to Me' ■ textural classification sipproved 'by .U0 S0 D* A0 Soil Survey Staff (30) 0 - : ; .

mms. . :.p;. v . ^ .. / a. ;,; Av' ; ' : The greatest activity of-the soil is. found in its silt and clay - . - v p-- - . . , " " ■ .■ ■ ■: . . . - - <" ‘ • • ' ' ' ‘ \ - ' v . , ' - ■ \ • • - - ■ ' " j. • " ■ fraction

Moisture Bouivalent f . p ’'. ■' , The relationship between the moisture equivalent of the surface

soil and the precipitation in Mlllmetea^as well as distance northwest • of Gairo^ are plotted ih Figure 14, show a positive correlation^ There is a sim ilarity between this curve , and the curve resulting when nitrogen and location were compared, as shown by Figure 13* ; ■

:P- ■vy

'.VV ' v P ' v . '' 57

.CONCLUSICE- x :

In reviewing the analybical data for the soils of the Tahreer Province It becomes apparent, that the properties of the soil are largely influenced by the textureo Percentage of silt pins clay

content^ moisture equivalent percentage^ plus moisture retention con- tent,; shows more favorable soil conditions to prevail in the northern part of the province, : _ Chemical properties such as percentage of nitrogen, organic matter, available phosphorus and available potash as determined by biological determinationj lead- to the same conclusiono The lime content is much higher in the north than in the south =, The difference between the. northern part of the Province and the southern part is particularly " ' . ■ X . • ..i \ X, ' y ' ' ' - , ' ' ' ■' clear when the surface layer is taken into consideration0 The Yuma Mesa, Arizona, has so ils sim ilar to those in th e Tahreer Province especially in the' southern part* The soils in the northern part are quite dissimilar<> It is. excepted that these soils will have ■ nominal water consumption when irrigation is applied* The sim ilarities are in the water holding capacity and texture. The Tahreer soils con­ tain slightly more nitrogen and available P^CL and K90 than the soils pm.the" Yuma.Mesao\ ; x . x . ' v' . : Meither the geological.histoiy^ nor the mineral study showed any

"significant difference for.the northern and southern part of the Provinces

Even though there is a very little difference in. climate except rainfall, yet tho whole area is considered an arid region, . /■ : ■ ■ • 58 ^ Fortunatelys the irrigation system of Egypt and the new Province depends entirely upon the Nile. The geographical location of the Province as shown by figure 2, is located at the northwest of the delta of the Nile. It is planned to irrigate these soils by canals served by water from the Nile« Balls considered that the amount of suspended

' matter averages between lo 5 - 0o5 ton (3)o If this light suspended matter reaches the land,1;it will tend to increase, the silt and clay content of the sand and to improve its water holding capacity,

Kaddah (19) shows that, from the pomposition' of this suspended matter

6 # is clay daring eight months of the y ear, and 55% clay during the . four flood months* As Hamdi (14) states that the alluvial soils of

Egypt are mainly montmorillonite, thed it is justifiable to conclude that a great deal, more than half of the suspended matter which reaches the soil will be montmorillonite» . Montmdrillohite is known for its high cation exchange capacity, (average of 100 m.e, per 100 grams). This clay will improve the cation exchange capacity of the sandy soils.

It will also improve the physical properties through increasing the water holding capacity (4)0 The improvement will be proportional to the amount of silt and clay which reaches the land. SUMEBT '

•On .April 1953 the Egyptian Government created, th e Tahreer Province principally to expand the agricultural economy of the nation# It is

.planned to reclaim some of the desert soils in this development» The Mile water is adequate in quantity and of suitable quality for irrigat­ ing the new areas, Water will be particularly abundanta after the new Aswan Dam i s constructed# • The area of th e province i s 6lOs000 acres with a p o te n tia l of 2,200,000 acres# The economic and geographic situation favors the . agrietilttiral .developmehts of the lands. in this Province# The problems of determining the variability of the soils and their suitability for development became very important, before actual reelama tion was begun#' . A study of the climate, the geology, topography and. density of vegetation as it may affect agricultural development of the area, has been made# In A pril, 1954s th e area was divided in to 6 p a rts according to this study# A pit 10 meters long, 4 meters wide and 3 meters deep was'dug in a representative location in each area# A complete deserlp^ tion of the area and of the soil profiles found in each was recorded# Samples were collected from each pit# Laboratory determinations involving chemical, physical, and biological properties of the soil were made# :v.r

Uhiv. of Arizona Library ■■■■: ' ; ; ;■ ■ ' ' . v: : V-' ' ■ \ ^ % ' . ' V ■ 60 It isrquiie cOLeai?.^ that'the Province could be classified into two major groupso The first one includes the area represented by the three

southern profiles 2 and 3)5 and the second includes the northern p ro file s (if? 5 and 6)0 There are minor variations among the profiles of the same group. Generally the texture is coarser in the southern group, coarse sands, sands, or loamy sands, give, way to finer textured

, soils toward the north becoming&asfine textured as loams and. clay loams

as shown by Profiles^ 5 and 6a ’ : ' The percentage of silt and clay, OaO#g, moisture equivalent and moisture retention, organic matter, nitrogen, and, available phosphorus and' potash| all show an increase .in the percentage of each from south to north as well as does the rainfall0 . Texturally GaCcQ, in soils be­ haves like silt and clay and its presence in a sandy soil will have a tendency to increase its water holding capacity0 The relatively high percentage of GaSSj especially below a depth of one meter would render

phosphates and iron less available-due to reversion or fixation, thus causing chlorosis in plants growing on these soils* • ■

Comparison, the soils of the southern part of the Tahreer Province of Egypt,- with those on the luma Mesa, Ari2onas indicate that, the

Egyptian soils are similar in texture-.. They contain slightly more ; nitrogen, available and KgO, and similar water holding capacity. It is true that the Egyptian soils, particularly those in the north are more calcareous in th e subsoil, and th erefo re, p lan ts grown on them may be subject to chlorosis* If the Nile continues to carry suspended matter after the construction of the High Bam it will continue to improve the soils* Generally, as a desert land, the whole area requires addition of fertilizers if a program of development is undertaken,. Finally, this study of the soils of the Province reveals that

the chemical and physical properties of the northern part are more favorable, for development than the southern half = Serious consideration

should he given this idea in approving a reclamation progra®o It is important to indicate that, if the water for irrigation is

, available to all parts of the Province, the best land as determined by a more detailed survey should be developed first.

:h:

•% . .. - BIBLIOGRAPHY -

lo Abdel Hasers Gaimal : . 1955 The Egyptian Revolution • Foreign. Affairs» An American Quarterly Review

-52o. Allam^ . H, .F* : ■ Gairo University, Soil Science. Division Procedures in Soil Chemistry' ■ '.

3c B alls, Jo 1939 Contribution to the Geography of Egypt Government Press Bulaq, Gairo ,

4o Saver, Lo D0 . .. . ' ' . ■ - 194S S oil Physics .-= 2nd E dition 5o Cnemical Department, Tshreer Province 1954 Laboratory Procedures,

6c Giyton, Ho. He■ ■.; " ' V:" ': . 1927 World Weather 'lecordso Smithsonian Miscellaneous GollectionSti F ;79»

7o Gollier* s Encyclopedia .• ' Glimate of Egypt, folo 7® .

80 Egyptian Babassy ' ' t ' 1954 Today's Egypt - Washington, D, G,

9» Egyptian Babassy 1954 Egypt •= The Youngest Republic in the World 6000 years old0 Washington, Bo Go .. ' 10 o Egyptian Information Administration • , 1955 The Egyptian Revolution in th ree years -1952=1955 H» E^ptiazi; Ministry of Publie. Works . f , - . 1921 Mile Control, ,

12<> Encyclopedia Brit^iea ! ■ . 5 , 1955 E xtract, Fol= 19 "

13, Gunther, John ; : . . ' - ■ . - ; 1955, Inside Egypt v ■>, Reader's Digest = April " ' 14* Hamdij, H* .. ^ Cairo' University, Soil Science Diylslon Lecrbiaa^es ■

150 Harpers Wo Go* Potilson? E„ K0 and Poulger, JoC0 1941 Tma Desert Area ~ ArizoBa / • : U* S» Do A0 Bureau of Plant Industry in cooporation with the University of Arizona Agriculture Experiment Station Series 1938s loo lc ;

16» HaWkinSj, R0 SoS Smithj, Ho V05 Kinnisons Shanta, Ho LOJ B-argess3 PCS0 and Boss, Po Ho ■ , . - 1935 A Preliminary Study of the Proposed Tama-Gila irrigation project for the purpose of determining its suitability for ' ■ . i vi;'';crop prdductioBo; ■ . '

17o H ussein, Ahmed ; ■ 1954 Rural Social Welfare Centres in Egypt0 • Egyptian Ambassador to the U, S0 - Washington, Do C* IS* :Information Please Almanaco. 1955 Natural Features and Resoursesl Climate of Egypt «=' Geolo^o po 6l6c 19.o Kaddah, M0 To 1948 S o ils of Egypt* S oil Scienpe 652357y365o 20* Kelley, W0 P0, Brown, So Ha and L iebig,; G* P* 1940 Chemical effects of saline irrigation water on soils Soil Science 49:95-107

21* L ib e ra tio n P ro v in ce ■ : - 1955 Pamphlet l- ■ : i; /:'v '

22* London University Lab Manual

23* Kagistad, 0* Co, and Christiansen, J* 1* 1944 Saline S o ils, th e ir nature and management i U0 So Departnient of A griculture Gir* 707 . -

24* H arbut, C* P* . i ' ■ v ' ■ 1935 Atlas of American Agriculture* ■ ; Part III - Soils of the United States

25* McGeorge, W= T* " ' ; ' 1944 Some M odifications in the leubauer Method S o il Sc* Fol* 58y .Hofi 5> 1944 26* McLeans, ¥ 0 J* . . , . : y .1936 . Agriculture Science 26:331-'338 64

27 o Piper ^ So So, 1942 Soil and Plant Analysis

28<, SiehardSj to Ao.; 1, ' 1 1954 Diagnosis. md ImprovweBt of Sa]J.ne and, ,Alkaline Soils WofioAo ■' - ' : 7 29o Richards, L» Ao , ' • 1947 Pressure = Membrane Apparatus construction and use A griculture Engineering 28* 451-454» ■

30o Soil Sarvey. Staff; A : : ^ v'-'; V::V'V' ■ A:/ :' 4 '7 1931 Soil ^wvey Mamual - % S. DSpartm#t of Agriculture . ■ -- Texbural Class Names and their definitions 31d The Encyclopedia Americana ■ ^ : Tmperature» Eainfall of Egypt, Vol. 10 7 ' 320 Thoraiohj, So Fa.s Purdue University ' ; V 4' ' V: 7; ‘ : • 1935 Soil and Fertilizer Studies by means of the Heubauer Method0 (a Thesis for. a Doctor of Phylosophy*)

33o Thornio% So F. ■ ■'-r . : 1931 Experiences with the Heubauer Method For Determining Itineral Nutrient Deficiencies In. Soils0 : • A part of a Symposium on ^Diagnosing Soil Deficiencies and Crop Heeds*1 at the annual''meeting of the Society held in Washington, Do Co 1930 (March)

34= 'Thorntons,. So- F0 , '4:'_: ;44 4-:'^'i:;7-74/ ' ; d::.44- . ' . 1931 The .Heubauer Method as applied to the determ ination of - the availability of Phosphate Materials» 414 ' Reprint from Journal of the Association of Official Agricultural ChemistS5 folo ZIVS Wo0 2

35« Dnited States Bureau of Reclamation ■ 4 ■ - . 1948 Land C lassificatio n Report o Welton-Hohawk Diyisioa^ ' Bila Projectj, Arizona,, 4 ,4%'^ ,4-"' "44- - 44 '' ;;'4:.;;.

3ho Feihmeyerj, Fq Jos and Hendrickson^ A0 Ho ' ' • ' 4 ' 1948 The Pemaneht Wilting Percentage as a reference for the ' measuring of soil moisturo*' American GeOphysicai. ■% Trans 0 29:887-896^ Illus, 37. Eein El Abidein, 4 4 - .4 4 - - 4 4 4 4: 4'4'4 ' • Cairo University Soil Science Division ■ .Procedures in Soil Physics 4