The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1900-05-22
Raising Cotton in Asia.

production OF cotton in Africa and
Asia are included in Il reDorf sent to
me state Department by the United
States Consul n Lyons. Hon John c.
Covert
Mr.. tC,,.s tells OF the arrival II.
france OF several small lots OF cot
on grown in the French Soudan which
nave served to create much comment
among French capitalists. especially
among those interested in The colo
nieS.1 Vt Il recent meeting Of the Ma
tional Agricultural Society at which
the manufacturers of cotton goods
moi only of France. but of other
countries. were represented these
samples of colonial cotton attracted
much attention.
AN EXPLORERS VIEWS.
The principal speaker was ii French
explorer. NJ. DyboNski. who has spent
Il great many years in africa and is
considered an authority on that cOun-
tiN. He spoke at length on cotton
possibilities in Africa and Asia Mr.
Covert translates and cOndenses his
remarks as follows:
The progress, Of the production
and the manufacture OF cotton is cal
culated to inspire wonder. \ cen
turN ago England Was the only mar
ket to which the world looked for
its supply. In 1884 England received
the first shipment Of Sevtntv-one
bales from the United States. The
quantity seemed enormous English
customs officials could not believe
fhaf II came from tne new world and
S@iZed It on the ground Of a false
declaration Of origin. Today Uncle
sam produceS fo,G0O.00O 10 10000 900
bales: 5000. .OOO. 600 pounds. In spite
CT the Impulse TO manufacture Civ
en- by machinery. perfection has not
vet been reached. The quality Of cot
ton necessary 10 receive a uniform
dye IS still to he produced. The No
gent Colonial garden has undertaken
10 improve existing plants through
scientific selection. to the end that our
colonies may be provided with better
seed
We possess immense areas in AZ
rica where the cotton plant grows rs
luNurlantIN as wheat in the most ia
Nored plains Of France. TO emaEci-
Pate ourselves frona England which
l!OldS. as It were. an exclusive con
troll Of this textile, it is only neccs-
ShiN Tor us 10 SyStematizc this branch
O. a@ritettit, t,re in The Sudan. kongo,
Senegal and the Upper Oubangi The
climate IS most favorable. thanks to
he strongly marked alienation Of
dry and wet seasons.
Ihr cultivation should be modified.
not by the Introduction of American
cotton. which thrives inditferentlv
there, but BY IN Improvement Of ex-
iSting local varieties Our CONNER
ciHl interests know what African cot
ton IS. hirty tons of ii have already |
here from the Sudan Fifty |
tons more are about to be shipped |
It is coarse. but that is because it
was gathered by the natives from |
plants over a year old. II should be |
planted yearly. which can be done by |
the system of rotation of crops. il |
deemed necessary Cotton is ike to-
matOes: these two plants may live |
products are the only really good |
ones.
CLAIM INEQJ ALITIE.1 IN .\MER1-
CAN COTTON.
The best crops OF American cotton
present striking inequalities. which
up to this time seem to have escaped
the attention Of experts. These diff
ferences extend even to the seeds in
the same capsules. which may have
! good. bad or Indifferent poll 70
make a iudicious selection it is ne
'essary 10 study. one BY one the
silks on the crests. The failure TO
make this careful study accounts for
he Inability Of the trade 10 furnish
sufficiently uniform cotton. In or
Ter to estimate the valuc Of each fiber
polD. it's diameter. length. and resis-
ancc must he determined The lon
ger. the finer. the more silken and
he more snar!ed 10 poll. the greater
Is resistance. The diameter is meas
ired by he aid Of a microscope TO
'e of good quality, it ought not 10
exceed twenty or twcnty-one one
hOusandthS Of q millimeter. The re-
,iStancc is determined by a very in
genlous apparatus invented by NJ.
1enri, Of the Colonial Garden. 1t
'ught to be between six and nine
Grams. By applying these methods.
he savants at the \ogent Garden
rave succeeded in obtaining the best
or propagation. There is every rea-
on to believe that cotton Will soon
'ecome a powerful element of wealth
or our colonies. and that its culture
Nill be placed in a fiouriShing condi-
ION by the interposition Of private
Enterprise.
The total production of Russian
ottOn up to within few years has
ardly reached half of the total yield
i the tnited States. The output of
ndla does not exceed 5000 900 bales
nd that of Japan is hardly 100000
sounds. Within a few years. however.
'ussla has been striving to create an
Important cotton center in TurkeStan.
nd she expects to secure raw ma
erlal from that quarter in sufficient
uantity to supply the mills of the
letropOl:s. 1t is difficult at first
lance to explain the success here:
he climate is severe, the extremes of
marked. rain is rare. ard I
he heat is intense. But the extreme
larmth of summer intensifes the
over of vegetation. and irrigation
axes the place of rain" {
one eats too long and the other longs I
eat. That is about the only difference | I
tween glutton and hungry man /: