| Crop. | Months when planted. | Months when cut. | No. of crops yearly. | Average yield per crop per feddan of PT. 40land. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dura | June and September | August and December | 2 | ⎱ ⎰ | 3 to 4 ardebs. |
| Dura Shami | June | August | 1 | ||
| Wheat | December | March | 1 | ⎱ ⎰ | 2½ to 3 ardebs. |
| Barley | December | February, end of | 1 | ||
| Simsim | September | October, end of, or November, beginningof | 1 | ||
N.B.—The majority of the land will give three crops yearly, viz., twice dura and once wheat or barley.
The number of sagias in the Dongola Province in December, 1902, was 3,462, besides 77 shadufs and two pumps. There are now (1904), nearly 4,000.
Iron sagias, though tried, have been pronounced unsuitable as they are difficult to repair. Iron fittings for the old wooden sagias have, however, proved a decided success. European ploughs are not popular on account of their weight.
The chief requirement of all the riverain Provinces is agricultural labour, men of the fellahin type, who would teach the inhabitants how to till and tend the soil, and thus produce crops in proportion to the value of the land.
The local breed of cattle is fair, and moderately numerous, but might be improved in both respects.
Dates.The date tax (PT.2 per tree) is one of the principal items of revenue in Dongola. There are also a considerable number of trees in the Berber Province. It is hoped that the new railway will enable dates to be much more largely exported,[43] and thus materially increase the revenue of these Provinces. At present the freights are almost prohibitive. Date harvest, October and November. Quality in Dongola excellent, and ripen before those from Egypt, Tunis or Tripoli. In Berber the dates are not so good.
Dom palms.The dom palm furnishes a means of livelihood to many of the riverain inhabitants in the Berber Province. The leaf is made into mats, sandals, and baskets. Coir (lif) is largely exported to Omdurman, where it is made into rope.
Other trees.Besides the above, there are sunt trees mostly used for sagia building, and selem, talh, samr, and heglig mostly on the back lands, with haraz and the dwarf tarfa on the river bank. Tamarind trees are being introduced and are doing well.
Senna.A certain amount of senna grows wild in the Berber and Dongola Provinces. It is gathered by the Arabs, who transport it to Kordofan, and Aswan, where it fetches about £E.2½ per camel load.