The record-union., 1892-11-10
REMARKABLE PERUVIAN COTTON
More Valuable Than Other Grades, the
Supply Being Inadeouato

supply be1n2 inadequate.
Herodotus mentioned, with some ap-
parent doubt in his own mind, that
among the productions of India was a
KIND OF wool which grows on trees. This
description OF cotton seems to apply with
peculiar force to a variety which is be-
coming noted in commerce as the special
product OF the department of Piura in
Peru. 1t first came into the market as a
result OF the high prices caused by the
CIVIL war IN America, when the ship
ments of Piura cotton rose from 1886, coo
pounds in 1852 to 4,O84, GOO pounds in 1865.
Since then, owing to its singular quail
ties, the demand has constantly outdis-
tanced continual increase in its produc-
ton, and the indications are that an
enormous development of this industry
will take place i'll Piura within the
next few years, aided by irrigation
works and systematic colonization.
This cotton is of the long
staple" variety. the tibers, however,
being Of an extraordinary length, and in
structure and in their crinkIy character
possessing so close q reselnb blance to wool
that mlcroscOpical examination must
be supplemented by chemical tests to dis
tlngulsh one from the other. 1t is this
quality which, according to the New
ork PoSt, has made the fame OF Piura
cotton, since II is an invaluable audulter-
ant tor nigh grade Woolen goods. When
combined with wool III the warp it gives
additional strength without affecting the
texture of the cloth in any way. This
being its sole use, the price of this cotton
nuctuates not with the cotton market,
but with the value OF wool, and on an
average 1t may be said to command from
TOUR TO i've cents pound more than the
highest grades Of other cottons.
Plura is in the extreme northwestern
part OF Peru and is drained by the Rivers
PIura and Chira. The country is a semi
desert, similar to the entire western coast
Of Peru, but the rivers rising in the
Andes carry down an immense volume
OF water to the sea. Once in every seven
years, with phenomenal regularity, heavy
rains visit this region, causing an inunda-
ton OF large tracts IN the river valleys,
and IN these years the production of cot
ton is increased to double its usual
amount. Like Southern California. the
land is naturally of immense fertility,
ana only water is needed to render it cor
reSpondlngly productive. Feeble at
tempts at irrigation have been made
along the valley Of the Chira, which have
served, however to show what NAV be
done when the matter is taken up in
large way. 1t has been demonstrated
that, within two years after planting, 100
acres will yield net annual profit Of not
less than $4,000 gold. The Peruvian Gov
ernmeEt has had surveys for irrigation
works in these valleys made at various
times, and Alfred T. Sears has obtained a
concession to carry out these plans so far
as they relate to one section comprising
an area of 100000 acres. This work,
based upon the estimates of an American
engineer, VIII involve a maximum out
lay of 81 100000. There is an opportunity,
however, for several separate irrigation
undertakings in these valleys, which
cannot fail of becoming immensely re-
munerative. 1t is good thing
which cannot be overdone, for the
demand is constantly growing for
this cotton. and it cannot be
raised elsewhere than in Piura Efforts
have been made to grow cotton from
Plura seed in other valleys along the west
coast, but the quality of the cotton re-
verts to that of the ordinary varieties
Evidently this great difference in its
character is due to the peculiarities Of the
soil in Piura.
Prior to 1885 the principal market for
this cotton was in Liverpool, but since
then the shipments to New York have
been increasing until there is a fair pros
pect that this country will consume the
larger part OF the entire crop, and this has
taken place in spite of a difference in
freight Of Sll per ton in favor of Liver
pool, under normal conditions, while
more recently the rates have been SI2 TO
Liverpool, as against SIS to New York.