Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-09-25
COTTON IN MEXICO.
Interesting Facts Concerning the
Crop in the Sister Repubiic.

WAsHINGToN, Sept. 24.-In series OF
reports on the resources of Mexico pre-
pared by our Consuls in that country, and
just issued by the Department Of State
Consul Mackey, OF Nuevo Laredo, makes
some interesting remarks about the Infiu-
ence OF the new Mexican rail-
WAYS upon the cotton interest OF Mexico.
He says:
The district of the Laguna, in the State
of COahuila, IS the great coJton producing
region of Mexico, and furnishes To her
factories annually from 10000 TO 10000
bales.
Prior to the construction OF the great
railways from the North the price OF
Mexican cotton varied from 10 to 10 cents,
and in the home market competed sue
cessfully with the product OF the United
States.
Cotton was then imported from Texas
in carts and wagons through Nucvo La
redo and Piedras Negras to the interior.
The difficulties encountered in the
transportation of so bulky and heavy a
commodity by means so primitive can be
easily imagined.
The cost of transportation from San
Antonio to the frontier was excessive, the
passage of rivers difficult and expensive,
loading and unloading were attended
Win duulblOudl anu bucoC bb'hE
combined with the delay and loss OF time
involved in such shipments hampered the
Importation OF cotton from the United
States, and In a propOrtionate degree fOs-
tered and encouraged its cultivation In
Mexico.
Under favor of these circumstances the
cultivation of cotton became one OF the
most profitable branches OF agriculture,
and extended largely and rapidly, so That
in a few years Mexico must have pro-
duced sufficient quantity to wholly sup
ply her own factories.
The completion of the railways LEADING
to the United States prejudiced the market
and greatly diminished the production of
cotton in Mexico. as cotton could now be
imported without the expense and delay
that were hitherto unavoidable.
The Mexicans complain that the advent
OF railways has not only injured the pro-
ducers OF cotton at home, by facilitating
the importation OF American cotton in
the degree necessarily the consequence of
cheaper and quicker means OF transpOr-
tation. but that, by special and personal
rates of freight, the railways have dis
eliminated against Mexican producers.
In proof of this assertion they allege the
fact that the cost of transportation of
merchandise from one Mexican city to
another-for instance, from Laredo to
Leon or Queretaro-is greater than from
New Orleans or Galveston to the City OF
Mexico. While it is undoubtedly true
that freight charges between the interior
cities of Mexico are higher than those
from points in the United States to that
country hundreds of miles more distant,
this is not attributable to intentional
discrimination against Mexican products,
but to the fact that the undeveloped re-
sources of Mexico being insufficient to
maintain the traffic necessary TO the ex-
istence of the railways in question, for
eign aid must be cOurted and obtained by
the concession of snecial rates Of freight.
The e1fectAot this reduction In favor OF
foreign cotton has caused Mexican cotton
to fall in the market to Sill or $l2 per
huudredweight, at which price the profit
OF the producer is so Insignificant that
the cultivation Of cotton is discouraged
or prevented.
He then describes the method of Guilt
walton in vogue in Lyons:
The dry stalks of the preceding crop are
first removed and burned, and the mules
then enter to break up the earth.
The first blowing finished, the pillow is
again passed over tine soil in a transverse
direction, and heavy branches OF trees and
dragged over the soil to remove inequali-
ties and prevent the formation of creyices.
1llb DTpDdTdIlOn vi tut Gdi bu 10
from November forward after the gather
ing OF the crop.
The ground is now ready for the seed,
unless disturbed by raintalls.
The season for sowing begins with
March and ends with the last OF April or
the first OF May.
If in the interval between the breaking
up of the earth, as before described, and
the season for planting, there should oc-
cur a fall of rain, the harrow of large
branches IL again passed over the sOil,
and should the fall OF ram be excessive ii
becomes necessary to again break up the
earth and prepare the ground anew.
The cotton is usually planted in burrows
from to ~ yards apart. BY some the
plants are trimmed IN the month Of Au-
gust, and this pruning is thought to pro-
duce large crop.
Cotton brought from the United States
and planted in Mexico usually produces
plant yard or yard and a halt in
| height for the first season.
As the plant becomes acclimated it's
proportions increase, but this increase in
altitude and dimensions is accompanied
| by a diminished yield OF cotton.
While American cotton begins to yield
| its crop in July, that of Mexico is not
| gathered until September. Tue cotton is
| gathered by hand, the laborers receiving
| for their work 1910. per arroba twenty.
! five pounds). The fibre Is removed from
| the seed in the same manner as in the
United States, and by gins OF American
manufacture.
The fibre of Mexican cotton is larger
and not so soft and lustrous as American
! but cotton production In this country
possesses this signal advantage. that for
several succeeding seasons the plants
continue to bear profitable crops, while
| in the United States the soil must each
year he enriched with fertilizers and the
| seed renewed.
Factories for the manufacture of cot
ton goods exist at Monterey, Saltillo
| Parras, and many other cities Of Mexico,
the greater part of them in prosperous
condition.
Patents to Georgians.