The Khedive's Country

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Pages: 113

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About this book

Egypt's fertile soil and the work of growing crops give George Manville Fenn his subject. He begins with the difficulties facing English farmers, then turns to the Nile valley as a place of agricultural promise. His account considers the river's renewing influence, fields of maize and cotton, and the introduction of trees that offer shade as well as useful produce.

Gardening receives close practical attention, from roses and orchids to the care of orange trees. Fenn discusses crowded planting, pruning, weeds and the conditions that affect fruit quality and yield. His comparisons with English gardens sit within a colonial outlook that praises Western influence and criticises local methods. For readers interested in the history of cultivation, the book shows how descriptions of landscape could also become arguments about settlement, investment and changing land use.

About the author

George Manville Fenn

George Manville Fenn (1831-1909) was an English novelist, journalist, editor and educationalist. Many of his novels were written with young readers in mind, among them "The Black Tor" and "Devon Boys". His last book was a biography of George Alfred Henty, another writer for the young.