The Red Cloud chief., 1900-09-28
Cotton Cultivation in Egypt.

This subject Is treated at length in
Bulletin No. AZ of the Office OF expert
ment stations. All OF the cotton pro-
duced in Egypt is grown under irrlga-
ton. Very little rain falls in the Nile
delta from the time cotton SEED ~
planted In March until the last picking
in November. The temperature rises
from an average maximum OF 73 de-
grees Fahrenheit In March to an aver
age maximum of nearly 30 degrees III
August, declining to about "a degrees
in November. The average minimum
temperatures are about 20 degrees low
or. The air is exceedingly dry during
the entire year. and especially during
the early growth Of cotton. HI reia-
tive humidity increases from May TO
November, but never becomes as great
as that in the cotton belt OF the oni'eu
states. The earliest and best pickihbs
become successfully poorer as 'tne
moisture increases and the heat do
clines. Tho irrigating water is under a
control limited only by the supply
Flooding the lands while the cotton ID
maturing increases the moisture in the
atmosphere from the abundant evap-
grafton. The soil temperature at this
time is from 30 degrees to Sc degrees,
and the conditions are such as TO IN
duce rapid development IN vegetable
growth.
The soils where all OF the best cot
ton Is produced are clay loans pro
duced by alluvial deposit from the
overflow of the Nile. They are rich In
fertility from the Nile deposits. and
their quality il further improved by
tho extensive growth OF Egyptian
clover, adding nitrogen and humus'
Phosphoric acid and potash are usual
ly present in sufficient quantities and
are not applied in the form OF com
mercial fertilizers. Lime and mag
nesia are also present In the soils. Nj
trogenous manures are generally found
most beneficial, especially where cot
ton and sugar cane are grown TO tn'
exclusion of clover and other legumi'
nous crops.
Cotton usually follows clover In +;
rotation OF crops. The land is plowes
and stirred to n depth OF about thir
teen inches, giving 4 deep. mellow sect
bed. The surface is made compact ant
firm by a plank drawn over 1t like
harrow, the driver standing on tn
/, plank giving sufficient weight to crusl
humps and level uneven places.
level, even surface is essential 10
; good results in irrigated land. Ridge
/, about thirty-fve inches apart are mad
, with a pillow. and the seeds, after soak
, ing twenty-four hours in water to has
ten termination, are planted In hill
o fourteen to twenty inches apart on tn
r sides OF these ridges. The cotton
thinned to two plants in a hill an
r hoed usually three times, being wa
tered after each hoeing. After tn
third hoeing 1t Is watered at interval
Of twelve to fifteen days, until tn
time OF the first picking, about the la!
of August, and 1t is watered again af'
d er the first and second pickings.
the production of Egyptian cotton is
succeed on a commercial scale In u
@ United States II must be in the gu
coast region, where the crop Will ha'
" TO withstand the conditions OF unceI
5. tain rains. perhaps supplemented wit
=. irrigation, or in the irrigated lands
f." the Southwest. In the former regio
d cotton cultivation Is we'll establishe
and labor is comparatively cheap. !
the regions where irrigation Is pra'
ticed, farmers and laborers alike a.
generally unused to the cultivation
cotton on a large scale, wages are gel
orally higher than in the cotton bel
:, require less hand labor than Is Il
volved In the "chopping." hoeing al
picking Of cotton. The most promi
:, ing means for the successful produ
~ ton Of Egyptian cotton in this count
!, appears to be either In developing II
IN proved hardy and productive varieti
that will withstand the conditions
the gulf coast region, particularly !
western part, or in devising metho
= Of culture in the irrigated lands tn
=, will require less hand labor. 1t W
~ be necessary in either case to keep
-. a continual selection OF seeds in ord
that the quality OF the fiber may
kept UP TO the highest possible stan
=, ard.