The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1891-03-05

Charleston World.
FLORENCE, S. c., February About
two years ago Mr. John s. Scott, who
farmed near Mars Bluff, WAS employed
by the Russian Foreign Trade Company,
a great business corporation of Russia,
to teach two Russian young men the
whole art Of raising cotton and preparing
it for the market This position he OBJ.
tanned through the influence of A. Nor.
den & Co., Of Charleston, which firms had
been commissioned to secure msn for
that purpose. Mr.. Scott's SUCCESS as q
farmer in his own State recommended
him for the position. Mr.. Scot went to
ST. Petersburg on obtaining the position,
and from there to Central Asia, where
the experimental farm is located. Two
weeks ago he returned to this country and
is again residing near Mars Bluff.
A special correspondent of the World
rode over to Mr.. Scotps plantation yes.
terday and had 8 lengthy talk with him
as to his experiences while in the service
of the Russians. Mr.. Scott tells q story
substantially as follows:
twenty-five years ago the Russians
occupied Central Asia, and annexed it
to their government. They still hold
this vast, rich and populous territory that
they acquired by mingled, but mastery
policy of strategy and military force.
When the Russians invaded this terrific
ry, they found the various sribes of
natives growing cotton there. Their
method of raising the feecy staple could
hardly be called cultivation, except by 8
wide stretch of the meaning of that term.
Only the very crudest methods we're in
vogue there, and they rudest and
most primitive implements were used !;
implements in no way suited to the nature
of the work.
The cotton seed was sowed broadcast,
and not planted in rows as is the case in
the Southern States of America. The
results were very poor and unsatisfactory,
both as to the quality and quantity of
the yield.
In desultory manner, that has not
resulted in much good, the Russians have
encouraged the planting Of cotton, and
have employed the natives for that pur-
pose. They introduced no new machin-
cry and no new methods of cultivation,
and consequently there was no improve
ment under their control.
About two years ago the Russian
Foreign Trade Company conceived the
idea ofintroducing the American methods
of cultivating the feecy staple and pre-
pairing it for the market. In order to
accomplish this desirable end l was en-
ployed to visis Central Asia and teach
two young Russians the whole art Of
cotton culture. I went to St. Petersburg,
thence to Moscow, through the Caucasus
mountains and across the Caspian sea
into Asia. NearSamarcand the company
had farm of 700 acres, and here l
remained for two years, with the sky.
kissing Hinaalayas ever in my sight, sheir
towering tops covered with snow even in
the hottest months Of the year. The two
Russians spent the two years with me,
and thoroughly learned. every detail OF
the work Of raising cotton. About 300
natives we're employed on the farm, and
they of course learned something about
the work. Samarcand is located near the
centre Of the cotton growing section OF
Central Asia. The cotton belt includes
Turkmenia, Turkestsn, Furgana and a
belt of country extending to the east and
west of these provinces aud lying between
the thirty.eighth and fortieth parallels Of
latitude. This is the only section OF
Asia where cotton can be proftably
grown, and this section is entirely owned
by Russia. The soil of this section is q
rich alluvial loan, mingled with decom.
posed lava rock. 1t grows cotton very
readily and gives large yield to the
acre. Cotton has to be grown entirely
by irrigation, and this is science that is
little understood in that section of Asia.
The belt mentioned is large prairie, q
beautiful stretch Of country and WON
derfully fertile, yielding magnificent
crops with but little attention. The
cotton crop, however, must be irrigated
or it doesn't amount to much. When
the natives thoroughly learn this science
they will have much greater success in
raising cotton.
The population of the cotton belt, as in
all other parts of Asia, is exceedingly
dense. Here. where mans primeVal
abode was, the number of inhabitants to
the square mile is much greater than in
the more recently populated sections Of
the globe, and this fact kills all possibili.
ty of there ever being any competition
between Central Asia and the Sunny
South in raising the cotton supply of the
world. The population is SO thick that
nearly all the land must be used to raise
sufficient food crop to feed the inhabi-
tants, and consequently very little acre.
age can be spared for cotton growing.
This is why I left Central Asia. The
company could in no way secure another
large farm, and my mission on the farm
near Samarcand was completed.
The correspondent suggested that the
Russian government might force the
natives to give up enough land for further
experimental stations. Mr.. Scott said
that YVES not in the line Of the policy they
had marked out for the treatment of the
natives, and would not happen.
Continuing in his original vein, he
said: Central Asia will never raise But1i-
eient cotton for the Russia spinners, and
will certainly never compete with the
Southern States in furnishing cotton for