The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-01-28
Cotton and Jute I'm Egypt.

Our Cairo cSrfc, pOudent sends the follow.
ing Egypt is in one respect the natural
enemy OF the United States. Her soil yield
The same crOps-cOlton and grain. EgyptS
brigh,t ST DAYS were Americas darkest, and
the great evil war was perfect god-send
TO cOtton-producing Egypt. With the re-
cent marvellous prosperity OF the United
States the scales are turning, and it has now
become serious question here whether the
egyptian cotton can IN the long run profit
ably compete with American cotton in the
English markets. In spite OF the yearly
supply OF virgin soil which the Nile
snreads broadcast over the land, the
coiton-pant is found TO be too exhaust
ing. and the necessity OF making use OF
artificial fertilizers is becoming apparent.
This will add greatly to the cost of rails
ing cotton, and indications arc not wanting
that the Egyptians will soon try new tack,
and this year they are indebted to Scotch
enterprise for the success Of an agricultural
experiment which is not only likely TO be-
come an epoch in the commercial history OF
Egypt, but which is OF vast importance 10
the merchants, manufacturers, and capital
ISIS of the United States. | have before
shown that the one great obstacle TO the in.
PRODUCTION Of American manufactures into
| the countries OF the southeast Mediterrd
mean was the want OF return cargo TO the
United States; and | recorded il as the Opln-
ION OF the representatives OF the largest SHIP
ping and commercial house in Egypt that
there will he no difficulty about their return
cargo if the experiments being made with
jute.g growing in Egypt prove 4 success.
Your CORE pondcnt Is now able 10 announce
that the jute-cuiturc has proved decided
success, and that before long Egypt hopes
10 take the first rank in growing this
fibre, which only occupies the soil foul
months instead Of the eight or ten months
required by cotton, and for which the de-
mand is 50 steadily aud universally increas'
| Ing. The only real obstacle to trade Will
| the United States is thus IN fair way to bt
done away with, and there is now every
reason why our manufacturers should cX
tend their markets to this country. Last
| spring Mr.. William Grant, OF Dundee, for
merly Bengal merchant, arrived III Egypt
with iute. seed, which he distributed to some
thirty landowners in lower Egypt. Some
seventy acre, in various parts OF the coltn
| try were sown with the seed. Last Septem
Der the stalks came to maturity. In OctO
Der they were "rotted THAT is, soaked ii
water aud dried--and have recently exam
| ined specimens OF the iutc fibre, which eX
perts have pronounced far superior TO thu
| Indian jute, while the cost OF production Il
much less, and the freight from Egypt e
England is Sl4 per ton less than from Ind.
TO England.
| This year many OF the small pr0priotors
| through ignorance or carclessness, merely
| scattered the seed on the surface of the soil
where it was parched by the sun, while
others buried il so deep that IL never CAM
to the surface. But the chief obstacle whlcl
Mr.. Grant had 10 overcome was the super
stllion OF the proprieiors aud their prelu
dice against anything new. They said t
themselves, "Iiere comes man among u
and gives away seed. What does he gail
by the operation This mau must be eitbe
q fool or Il knave. He is q fool il he throw
away bis property in this way (; and 1t cal
only be by kDavery that he can gain any
thing" The pr0prietors then began TO Sc
"nigger on every fence" They ende'
by convincing themselves that their ener
gctic Scotchman was merely tryinj
TO induce them TO plant his see,
legal iugelery he might eventually CLAIM
their land as bis own property. This fac
shows bow superficial the coating OF "ci
vilization" really is In Egypt. aud Illus
tiates the childish nature OF the objection
which are sure to be raised in this countr,
against the introduction OF anything new
whether II be an idea, plant, or machine
This remark does not apply to the Kbedive
however, who docs his best TO evcrcom
these childish preiudices OF his country
men. On average land In the delta, wber
the jute cultivation has been properly at
tended to, tue yield has been nearlxtwo ton
per acre. TIE price Of jute In Alexan dri