The Sun.
London, England, 1861-10-03 00:00:00

COTTON CULTURE IN EGYPT.

The following communication was addressed to
the Viceroy of Egypt by Mr. G. R. Haywood, se-
cretary of the Cotton Supply Association, during
his stay in that country :
Cairo, August 9, 1861.

Your Highness,—Having been requested by your
Highness to report to you my impressions on visit-
ing
several of the cotton districts of your dominions,
I have been exceedingly struck with the vast re-
sources, both of soil and labour, available for cotton
cultivation in Egypt.
It has been strikingly evident to me that in
every district I visited immense tracts of coun-
try lie entirely uncultivated, or the cultivation
is so indifferent as to require only a very
moderate application of capital, combined with
better supervision, to render them capable of
producing a supply of cotton adequate to the wants
of the chief markets of Europe.
I have noted, also, from the information I have
derived both from the extensive proprietors and
from the lesser fellahs (common farmers), that a
very much larger extent of,land is under cultiva-
tion this year than during any period since cotton
has been cultivated in Egypt.
The appearance of the crops is, for the
most part, healthy and highly promising.
One of the finest fields, upwards of 400
acres in extent, through which I passed,
forming a portion of the estate of Mithalef (in the
province of Rhoda), appeared to surpass anything
I observed elsewhere. The height of the plants is
from 3 feet 6 inches to 4 feet, bearing well. lam
informed that the average produce of this estate
is from 3001 b. to 400 lb. per acre of clean cotton ;
say, on an average, I,ooolb. of cotton in the seed.
For some time past a system of classification of
cotton has been pursued on this and on the estates
of several larger cultivators, which has had a
most beneficial effect; the cotton being picked
chiefly by children, who are taught to discriminate
the cotton into three qualities. They are paid accord-
ing to their skill, and the proprietor realises for his
cotton several dollars per cantar more than the
majority of other producers. This is a matter of
the utmost importance ; and when the system is
extensively adopted by the smaller cultiva-
tors, will tend immensely to their advantage,
and also to stimulate an improved produc-
tion. No soil in the world can surpass that
of Egypt fur this special culture, but there
is great room for the introduction of a better class
of implements than those now in use, which are of
the rudest possible description. The people who
have the skill to produce the results now visible from
the use of such implements would speedily raise
their condition, if taught and encouraged to
employ those of more modern construction,
which would both save much time and labour—
or, in other words, increase their limited capital.
The area of country through which we passed has
been many, thousand square miles in extent, the
whole of which is ono continuous level, watered
in every part dUring some months of the
year by the rudest irrigating machines. Up-
wards of 40,000 takeas, or water wheels, most
clumsy in construction, are employed in irrigating
the land; and, costing on an average £5O each, they
represent a capital of great amount, and prove the
value set by the people on adequate means of irri-
gation. Capital directed to purposes of irrigation
would therefore prove adequately remunerative in
Egypt, inasmuch as irrigation is employed not only
upon cotton, but in raising corn and many other
products. In my interview with your Highness,
you advanced the opinion that the great want in
this country was an improved system of advances
to enable the poorer classes of cultivators to farm
their lands at a moderate rate of interest of money.
In this opinion I now fully concur; upon inquiry I
find that advances to the cultivators cost them from
4 to 6 per cent. per month, or from 60 to 70 per
cent. per annum, while at the same time I learn
that little or no loes Is experienced by the lenders
through non-fulfilment of contracts.
This is deplorable as regards the cultivation, and
calls for the introduction of a better system.
The suggestion made by your Highness at our
interview, and which I have already reported to
my constituents, as to the formation of a cotton
bank, or some similar organisation, which shall
make advances at from 1 to 2 per cent, per month,
appears to me to be founded on a just and
politic view of the necessities of the fella}}.
Moreover, the assurance of your highness that such
a company should have the full weight of your
powerful influence in giving effect to its operations,
by guaranteeing, through the governors of the local
districts, the equitable fulfilment of contracts, in li
one which will be folly appreciated by the capital-
ists of England ; and I am informed that men of
influence in Alexandria Welfare alrnady prepared
to co-operate in any well-advised plan for carrying
this important suggestion into practical effect.
Moreover, I learn that there are already in ope-
ration in this country no less than 600 or 700 Mac-
arthy gins worked by steam power, many of them
the property of the Pashas ; the remainder being
Worked by enterprising Europeans of different cowl-
' tries. I foundwell-built factories in various districts.
and some in course of preparation for cleaning the
cotton crop.
The out-turn of these machines is very consider-
able; and, as far as I can learn, their employment
has been found exceedingly profitable to the
owners. Nevertheless, three-fourths of the cotton
of Egypt is yet cleaned by the common hand-gins
of native construction. There is, therefore, great
room for the introduction not only of power