The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-08-20


. Is increasing with phenomenal repidity II
: the conquered khanates OF Turkestan, ant
that this arid region Is likely to play an I'm
, portant part in supplying the Russian worlt
, with this material for clothing.
Following the example OF the Indian au
thorities. the Russian Government secured
the services OF American cotton planters
and entered upon series OF experiments
with American varieties. which have beer
more than ordinarily satisfactory. II entire
credonce can be given to the reports Of
those engaged in supervising cotton-plant.
ing operations for that Government.
Like all other crops In central Asia. cot
ton is wholly dependent upon irrigation. rs
rain is rarely seen there between April and
November. The area available for cotton
planting In Turkestan is. however, very
limited, as the arabic lands OF all Tur-
kestan. Chinese and Independent, as
well as Russian. do not exceed 90
o0O. 900 acres. and probably arc less than
100000, while but part even OF
this acreage can be irrigated. owing to the
scarcity Of water and the difficulties fiscal
as we'll as engineering. attending its ap-
plicstion to soils sufficiently fertile to war
rant large OUTLAWS. Moreover. the popula-
| llOu, uuuSI Vic IcdCG Iidt HAS lclOW0u NUS
sian domination. increases rapidly. and Ia
yearly requiring greater and greater guam
titles of the land for food production. thus
limiting tho proportion Of such new lands
as may be brought under cultivation and
can be employed in growing any staple for
external consumption.
Although the Turkestan areas that can
be devoted to cotton arc thus limited. yet
/ -. l.. I'LL AN.l A.
sufficient lands will be 80 employed as to
supply. with that grown In the Caucasus, all
the cotton required by Russia. However.
there seems little likelihood OF this con-
summation during the remainder OF this
| century. and the extent to which the culture
| can be carried In this remote and little
known region Is wholly problematioal. The
fact is. that beyond the knowledge that
| only the land susceptible Of irrigation Is
| cultivable. that this is an ininitestmel
part of the whole. and that most OF the
available water has long since been applied.
We know next to nothing OF the agricul-
tural capabilities OF the immense arid re-
gions OF central Asia.
The indigenous oottons OF Turkestan are
peculiar in character, and. rs compared
with those OF America. OF little value. diff
cult to harvest, and far from being pro-
ductive. On the other hand. there Is much
reason to believe that American varieties
produce in Turkestan a staple that Is ex-
ceptionally free from discoloration. with an
even fibre Of good length. Much Of this SUI
perlority Is due to Its growth under irrlga-
ton; and this increases the yield as well
as tho cost Of production.
Apart from direct government aid. the
Russian import duty Of two and half
cents a pound on all cottons OF foreign
growth acts as a protective encouragement.
and is likely to have the effect OF assuring
steady increase of production In the Asiatio
provinces. until 1t shall equal Russian re-
quirements, which are about four times the
quantity now produced in Turkestan: and |
it is safe for the American cotton growers
to assume that Russian needs will be met
from domestic sources at 10 remote day.
Beyond this there seems little probability |
Of Asiatio competition. other than that pos |
sible In India. increasing. until political |
and industrial conditions shall have 80 !
changed as to assure the reconstruction Of |
ancient Assyrian irrigation works. and the |
employment OF tho fertile Mesopotamian |
plains In cotton growing. This change is |
too remote to cause solcitude to the cotton
growers OF this generation.
From 1870 to 1890 the population OF Eu-
rope. the United States. and Europe's CO.
lolial possessions increased II per cent,
the commercial supply OF cotton increased
IS per cent. and the American contribution
thereto registered an increase Of so per
cent, as shown by the area employed In it's
production.
From 1880 to 1890 the same populations
1916 per cent. and the commercial
supply As per cent; and during the latter half
Of this ten years the world annually con-
sumed an average Of 1874 600 tons OF Ameri-
can cotton, as against a yearly consump-
ton Of 10000 tons in the latter half Of the
preceding decade. the increase being nearly
IS per cent. In other words. America con-
tributed to the commercial supply nearly
In the Same proportion as In tho latter half
Of the preceding ten years. the other sources
Of supply keeping n triae in advance.
thanks to increasing production in Egypt
The following table shows. In periods OF
1--we years. the average annual commercial
supply for each period. in tons of 1000
pounds; the annual average contribution
If the United States In eaoh period. and the
.atio thereof to the whole supply; the
average annual quantity retained in the
United States. in each period. for homo con-
sumption, and its ratio to the whole; the
annual average quantities consumed In
europe. In India. and In oil other countries.
Ind the ratios to the whole supply:
lie COMMERCIAL SUPPLY OF COTTON, WHERE |
AND IN WHAT PROPORTION CONSUMED AND
THE AMERICAN CONTRIBUTION THERETO. TX. |
PRESSED IN TONS OF 1000 PoUNDa
|
Ag7rsgTs AmsJioun
eon,me ct1i oontr buttons 10
snpp'y. snppiy.
-
Tone TINS Ratio,
4