The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-12-17

during the American civil war large
quantities We're grown and sold in Eng
land.
Consul Halstead, at Birmingham, also
calls attention to the conditions in the
Yaruba country in British West At
RIGA. The soil is said to be rich and fer
tile and the labor apt and cheap, an
unlimited supply being available at
about IS cents a day. Consul Boyle
does not speak so favorably of the
quality of labor obtainable, but says
that the association hopes that it win
improve with training and experience.
He says that the cotton received from
this region is substantially equal to
American, except in color, due to the
lack of skill in picking and handling.
The area suitable for cotton growing in
British West Africa and Nigeria is
claimed to be equal to that in our
southern states. but Consul Boyle says
this claim seems to be extravagant. In
Sierra Leone ard Gambia the product
from native seed seems to succeed bet
ter than from Egyptian or American
seed.
The British association is also ex-
perimenting in British East Africa,
British Central Africa. Rhodesia, and
the gold coast. but not so much prog
ross has been made as in some of the
other regions mentioned. The West
Indies and the colonies in Central and
South America. are also receiving their
share of attention. Consul Estes, at
Antigua. reports cotton planting there,
and Consul Boyle mentions Jamaica.
Trinidad, St Christopher, st. Lucia,
the Barbados and the Bahamas as
places where cotton will be grown in
largely increased quantities. In this
connection he notes that sea-island
cotton is a native of Barbados, and
also that at the close of the eighteenth
century 70 per cent. of England's cot
ton supply came from the West Indies.
Consul Boyle also reports favorable
prospects for cotton growing in British
Guiana, British Honduras, and Ceylon,
with less probable success in Australia
In India a movement is also on foot
not only to increase the quantity
(Which is said to be capable of an
augment of a million bales), but also
to improve the quality The Nile i'm
provements, it is said. will Immediately
increase Egypt's crop about 100000. 600
pounds. while in the Sudan there are
said to be millions of acres of land
capable of producing a fiber at least as
good as Egyptian.
The Germans also are attempting to
secure a cotton supply from their own
colonies.
The French are investigating their
tropical colonies as to the possibilities
of cotton production.
Consul Holloway, at st. Petersburg,
reports that Russian mills use over a
million bales of cotton annually, of
which nearly three-fourths is imported.
Consul Smith, at Moscow, says that by
the assistance of the government and
the cotton consumers the production
of cotton in Central Asia is increasing
every year. Consul Hughes says that
the Russian government intends to Gre
ate loan offices to supply the lack of
credit, furnish selected seed, and fur
thermore revise the duties as to de-
velop an independent supply.
other countries whose consumption
of raw cotton is small have been in
fuenced by the high price of cotton.
Consul Ruffin. at Asuncion, reports a
lively interest in cotton raising in
Paraguay. The United States minister
to Peru, Mr.. Douglas, says that the
coast region of that country is espe-
ready producing about twenty million
pounds. but efforts are being made to
increase it largely. Consul Donaldson,
at Managua. says that cotton grows
wild and luxuriantly in Nicaragua. but
states that the last crop was destroyed
by insects.