The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1867-07-17
Agricultural.
Agricultural in Bg,. pte
THE YIELD OF COTTON.

The British Consul at Alexandra has
made an official report OH tho present
condition Of Egyptian agriculture. He
says the agricultural industry Of the
country hes been SO entirely diverted
from tue rotation Of crops in its normal
state that any person now going through
tho country to take view Of the pro.
duco Of tho soil woull be altogether
misled. The, enormous profits which
were realized during the American war
have caused this. When tho cotton
Supply Association snet ont their sec
rotary, pr. Forbes, to India, those gen
tlemen were bearers Ola memorial to
the late viceroy, Said Pacha, praying
his Mghncss to use every possible effort
to encourage tho cultivation Of cotton.
The reply was characteristic, and cvinc-
ed correct impression and almost n
prophetic dread Of tho revolution that
would DO produced by an immoderarcly
enhanced price for cotton. He said /:
'Plices alone will prove sufficient slim
ulus without any effort on my part but
God forbid that should ever see the
abandonment Of the ordinary succession
of crops for the production Of cotton, to
tho exclusion Of those products OH which
VIC subsist."
Within short period from that time
Egypt, which had over been large
exporter ofgrain, Of beans, &c, had to
seek food from other countries, and be-
came al extensive importer. Grain
was considerably dearcr in tho intorior
than at Alexandria. In some places
absolute famine cnsucd. An undesira-
bic change was wrought, the recovery
from which will be as slow rs its accom-
plishmcnt was rapid. The value of land
was quadrupled wages rose in an equal
ratio; laborers earned so easily sufficient
for their wants that they became indo-
lent; an excessive luxury sprung up,
and that not ofa nature to benefit the
commercial world, being displayed in a
demand for white slavc.girls, costly
pipes, and such other appliances, which
(thc consul remarks) do not muck benefit
the Industrious world without.
Meanwhile The land, from the con-
| slant crops Of cotton iu slccesson, has
become impoverished. Cotton, how
ever has long been, and must continue
TO be, the most important production of
Egypt. 1t is sown in March or April
and arrives at maturity in August or
September. An average yield, in good
summers, is thrco hundred pounds to
tho acre; the Now Orleans variety has
been found to yield eight hundred pound
to the acre; but it is found unmarketa.
bic, and is, therefore, little cultivated
Cotton seed has become an important
source Of profit. In 1868 tho ardcb of
two hundred and seventy pounds sold
for twenty-five tariff piastrcs; now it
sells from sixty to seventy five piasrcs
Formerly it was not Of sufficient value
to Justify its being sent to Alexandria,
and 1t was used as fuel; now il IS ali
shipped 10 Europe, and from it is press.
an excellent oil, and from the refuse a
cake Is made, Which is said to be more
nutritious than lmsced cake. The cattle
murrain, which commenced in Egypt be-
fore it proved SO severe scourgc in
England, destroyed, the first year, eight
thousand head Of horned cattle. In
Lower Egypt almost every animal was
destroyed, and 1t will take years to re-.
store the number Of animals.