Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1869-03-04

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COTTON CULTURE IN EGYPT.
THE KINDS OF COTTON CULTIVATED.
The following article appeared in the last mum
Der Of the Hearth and Home It is from the pei
Of South Carolinian who has resided in Egyp
for several years. We transfer it 70 our columns
deeming it will be read with general interest:
The Egyptian cotton crop has attracted much
attention during the last six years. and exaggerat
ed ideas have prevailed as to the quantity, quality
and character of the article which can be produced
there In journals otherwise we'll informed, absurd
and erroneous statements are frequently made il
regard to this important matter for although cot
ton can no longer be styled "King," as formerly
the dethroned potentate is still powerful 1t i
proposed, in series Of short papers, to give tht
results of careful observation, and long residence
in Egypt, and to show what is the character ano
possible extent Ct Egyptian rivalry to the cotton
growing region Of our own country.
The cotton plant is indigenous to Egypt, and
has been cultivated time out of mind on the mar
row strip of fertile land which fringes the Upper
Nile, beginning at Thebes. But this native cottor
is of inferior quality, short in staple coarse ir
fibre, and fit only for the manufacture Of the
coarse stuff worn by the Fellahs, or peasantty. =
It's cultivation was very limited, and, until the
year 1919, it was the only kind grown in Egypt
and was exclusively used for home consumption.
In this year, when the energetic rule Of Meheme'
Ali was rcviving old Egypt from its ashes, 8
Frenchman, named Jumel. walking in the garden
of Mako Bey, at Cairo, observed curious plant,
the leaf and flower of which were unfamiliar to
him. He questioned the gardener, and learned it
was cotton plant, few specimens of which had
been brought from India, to give variety to the
ornaments of the garden. Seeing the great super.
iority of this plant to the common kind cultivated
in the upper country, NJ Jumel brought the mat
ter to the attention of the Viceroy, aud by his aid
and cooperation, succeeded in making its culture
general in the fertile lands of the delta Of Lower
Egypt. whence the great bulk of the crop is now
obtained.
It was not until 1910 that the experiment of in.
PRODUCING the American Sea Island cotton seed
was attempted. Since that time it has been large
ly introduced, and the yield has been fully equa
to that Of our best Sea Island. From some pecu'
liar quality of the soil, however, or possibly from
the system of irrigation adopted, it has been found
necessary to procure new Sea Island seed every
two years, and the Jumel or Mako cotton has
therefore been preferred by Egyptian cultivators
There are, therefore, three species of cotton
grown in Egypt:
lst. The native cotton, short staple, coarse.
3D. Mako or Jumel, long staple, fine.
3d. American Sea Island.
These varieties are all perennial, but are sown
except the Mako, which will last two
years. The Mako is greatly preferred, although
the cotton it produces is not quite equal to oul
best Sea Island, but rather better than our best
Upland cotton.
The two latter species alone are exported; the
first, or native cotton, cultivated on the Uppel
Nile, being used chiefly for stuf6ng divans, the
Egyptian substitute for our chairs and beds, and
which serve the double purpose of seats by day
and couches by night even among the richer class
es. It is also used to make the "Nigam," or sol.
diers' uniforms, as well as the single blue shirt
which constitutes the entire toilette of both the
male and female Felah. The culture of this spe.
cies is not extensive, nor are these fabrics now
manufactured as largely as formerly. Mehemet
Ali, who entertained the idea Of manufacturing on
large scae,> established twenty-four large faeto
ries, employing twenty-four thousand operatives,
but it was soon found to be Improbable; 50 that
in 1852 all that remained of his great enterprise
were, one large mill, worked by steam, and three
small ones, worked by ox.power, manufacturing
chiefly army uniforms, and consuming, on an aver.
age, not more than ten thousand bales Of cotton
per annum.
The great buildings erected by Mehemet Ali,
and filled with expensive machinery, both for cot.
ton and silk manufacture, were abandoned, with
the usual improvidence of Eastern administration,
and the writer has frequently wandered through
their large empty halls, filled with the remains Of
the machinery left there to rust away.
The rapidity with which the cotton culture de-
veloped itself after NJ. Jumels walk in the garden
of Cairo, may be inferred from the following state
ment of exports:
In 1921, Exports were 60 bags....of 100 1os each.
In 1922, Exports were 500 bags. 100 lbs each.
In 1923, Exports were 200 bags of 100 lbs each.
In 1924, Exports were l,500 bags Of 100 lbs each.
This, too, while Mehemet Ali's experiment Of
was going on, consuming an amount
of which we have no means of Judging as statistics
are modern innovation in Egypt In 1852, the
annual expectation of cotton had risen to about
a. 900, 900 pounds; in 1856, to 100000, and in
1865, to the maximum of 100000 bales, Of the
weight of our own.
Beyond this point, I do not think it probable
the Egyptian production will ever pass; nor is it
at all probable that it will keep up to these figures
when the extraordinary stimulus lately given it is
withdrawn. The reasons for this opinion will be
fully stated in conclusion From 1862 to 1865, the
production was almost doubled, in consequence Of
the American war, and the increased value Of the
staple. -.
In 1854, the quantity of cotton consumed in this
country was estimated at about 5000, 600 pounds;
and the usual price of the gnned cotton fibre in the
villages in which it was grown, or at Alexandria,
varied from $l2 to $l4 or $l5 the hundred pounds,
which would give from to 81 cents per pound
net on shipboard. The cotton used formerly to be
sent down from the villages in large, loosely pack
ed bags, each weighing 100 pounds. Now, how
ever all the modern appliances of culture, Of pre-
paration, and pressing are in use in Egypt. The
export of cotton. seed rose in 1865 to the second
rank of values.
This cotton seed was shipped to England chiefly
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