Letter from Herbert Cropp to his friend W Richardson, 29 February 1916

PR 82/8.
For God, For King & For Country
Y.M.C.A
WITH THE
MEDITERRANEAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCE
PATRON
Y.M.C.A. NATIONAL COUNCIL
H.M. THE KING.
PATRON
MILITARY CAMP DEPT.
H.R.H. DUKE OF CONNAUGHT.
COMMITTEE
FOR EGYPT
AND
THE NEAR EAST.
CHAIRMAN
H.E. SIR HENRY McMAHON.
[*Accssd
10 Apl/16*]
Reply to No. 3492   Coy.   17^th  Bat.   A I F
Stationed at Aus Base Depot Egypt     
Feb 29^th 1916

Dear Friend Richardson
Just a line or two to tell you
of the pleasant surprise I have had here. Knowing the
interest you take in flowers and fruit it may interest
you to know that this is a wonderful country for flowers,
not on the hills or in the desert of course, but anywhere
within reach of the water in the canals or the Nile itself
When we arrived it was the middle of winter and although
there was no frost the nights were bitterly cold, quite as
cold as if there were a heavy frost.  I am told that there
would be frosts if there were sufficient moisture in the
air and I can well believe it many of the men wore
their sheepskin vests.   We found tomatoes and oranges
very plentiful the former about 5^d a doz large ones and
the latter about 6^d per doz fairly large. Imported fruits were
very dear.   Apricots grow well all through Egypt and
I have never seen cultivation to equal the irrigated land
of Egypt.   We came from Suez by train and it was a
pleasure to see the beautiful fields of Egyptian clover,
the miles of bean fields and here and there the orchards of
Apricot and Orange trees.   The Date palms are everywhere
and near to Cairo the train ran through great groves of

these palms cultivated to the last degree.  The parks around
Cairo are full of date trees too and just now they are putting
out their great bunches of flowers that will later be fruit.   The
native Egyptians pay a small fee for the right to collect
this fruit and of course it all adds to revenue.  The lands
that are reached by the water from the Nile and canals are
rented from the Gov at a nominal rental of £1 per
acre and this includes an ample water supply.  I have
talked with the sons of some of the farmers and if they
are anything like the ones we have conversed with there
is a great future before Egypt under good rulership.
These boys come into the colleges in Cairo for a nominal
fee and put in three years in College afterwards taking
up any profession that is open to them and all this
out of 50 acres for which a rent of a pound a week has
been paid.  The land will produce on an average 50
bushels of wheat or rye or oats to the acre so with these
commodities at the present price and a ready market
the farmer is not badly off, his labour ac. is very 
low a Fellaheen works long hours for 5 Piastres a day
Now about the flowers, the roses were in bloom when
we came and we were surprised to see great bunches

of beautiful blooms being sold in the streets for two
Piastres 5^d they were old favourites too Marechal. Neil,
Gloir Da Dyon, K.V. Augusta, Karl Druschi and a
brilliant red rose that I didnt know the name of. What
struck me too was the absence of disease no aphis or
scale on any of the blooms that I saw.  The scent is
very faint but even that will improve as the spring
advances.   After we had been here Vis a week or two Violets
began to be sold in the streets great bunches of them for
1 Piastre beautiful blooms Czars we call them a deep
purple.   Not much scent though, due perhaps to excessive
watering.   The spring flowers are just making their appearance 
and in some gardens we see great beds of
Stocks out in their first flower all our old favourites
amongst them.   Flax is just beginning to bloom
too and I noticed a great bed of Coreopsis with a few
flowers out.  The hedges here are often Hybiscus and
there are clumps of Oleander and soon these will
be in full bloom.   Now you will see from this that
I am among old friends, there are lots of others that
I could mention too for there are among the trees
many that I know like our forest Oak, Peppermint;

I think many of the trees have been imported from N.S.W.
as the climate is similar.   Outside of the watered areas the
country is just awful, great stretches of pebbly sand
and gravel over which we do our route marches the very
essence of Desolation everywhere, yet now and then
we find a little trace of life and one moonlight night
we had a bit of fun chasing a little jerboa rat, what
he lived on beat us all, for we surrounded him and caught
him and found him well fed.  The boys reckoned he
deserved to live if he could pick up a living in that sort
of a place so we let him go.   Just at present our Co is doing
town picquet in Cairo and we are quartered at Kasr-El-Nil.

Barracks right on the Nile and of course there is plenty
to interest us here with the big river at our feet and
the immense population passing and repassing our
post.   Just about five hundred yards away are the Botanical
Gardens and we spend a few pleasant hours there too among
the beautiful trees and shrubs gathered from every clime
under the sun.   If it were not for Mans inhumanity to
his fellow Man what a world this might be.  With best wishes
for your good health and happiness from your sincere
friend Herbert Cropp.    P.S. my ink has run dry but I
would be glad to hear how the Chrysanthemums are getting on

Please return
On Active Service
W^m Richardson Esq
Gray Street
Kogarah
Sydney N.S.W.