The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-11-22
Tree That Produces Cotton
BY w. D. HoRNADY.

Austin, Tex, November a.--tspeciaL)-
 is expected that the Mexican govern nent will soon make public the results f the experiments which it has been con- ducting during the past three or four
 ears in the cultivation of a new species ,f tree which produces large yields of cot ton of a superior quality. While no off cial announcement on the subject has yet been made, it is known that these expe-
 iments have been highly successful. The discovery that high grade of cotton IS produced by this tree and that it may be successfully grown in many parts of Mexico, and probably in the southern portions of the United States, particu- ary in the semi-arid region of south west Texas, is looked upon as of the greatest importance to the industrial and agricultural interests of the two coun- tries The fact that it is also claimed that this cotton-produeing tree is immune to the attacks of the cotton boil weevil, which at this time menaces the cotton- growing industry of the south and Mex ico, is of itself of sufficient significance to attract wide attention
 The experiments of the Mexican gov ernment in the cultivation of this tree and in the manufacture of cotton goods from it's product were undertaken upon the suggestion of Senor Hilario Cuevas a wealthy cotton planter of the state Of Jalisco, of which the city of GuadalaJara is the capital Senor Cuevas discovered this tree about five years ago, growing in remote and uneXplored part of that state He obtained some of the seeds of the tree and planted them on his planta- ton. The seeds seemed well adapted to their new soil, and the trees which they brought forth had rapid growth and be- gan to bear when very young. Senor Cue vas gradually enlarged his new industry until he now has several hundred acres of the growing cotton trees in cutiya- ton Many of these trees are now in bearing, and his cotton crop from this source last year amounted to several hun dred bales. The cotton of this tree is not unlike that produced by the cotton plants of the south except that it is of longer fibre and is of higher grade than ordinary cotton. It is asserted that the cloth which 1t manufactures has better wearing qualities than ordinary cotton goods
 Senor Cuevas has conducted his .expe- riments under the direction of the Mex ican government. As an indication of the success of the new industry, it may be stated that Senor Cuevas has just dis tributed among the cotton planters and farmers of the state of Jalisco ten million seeds of this wonderful tree. These seeds were donated free for the purpose of en- couraging the adoption of the tree for producing cotton in place of the plant which is now grown for the purpose. It is stated that the yield of this tree is enormous in comparison with that of the cotton plant About twenty trees are grown to the acre and they each produce 200 to 300 pounds of cotton, which is equal to eight or twelve bales per acre.
 J. R. Cartley, formerly an extensive cotton planter of Lee county, Texas, who is now in Guadalajara, Mex, recently Vis- tied Senor Cuevas' plantation of cotton producing trees. MT Cortley is enthu- siastc over the prospects of the tree sup planting the cotton plant in Texas In letter to a friend in this city he says that he obtained q few of the seeds of the tree from Senor Cuevas and will plant them in the vicinity of Brownsville, Tex, where frost rarely occurs and where the climate is similar to that where the trees are now grown in Mexico. MT. Cortley letter reads in part as follows:
 Prom what I have seen of Senor Cue vas plantation l am convinced that this cotton tree can be successfully grown in southwest Texas. It seems that it does not require any great amount of moisture and is easily grown. Whether it is killed or affected by freeze or not, is not yet known but l am inclined to believe that owing to the fact that it is a native of semi-tropical climate, it would not stand much cold weather. However, l am go- ing to try planting some of the seeds on my place In Lee county as well as in the vicinity of Brownsville. If the tree will do in Texas or even in a limited part of Mexico what it is doing on Senor Cuevas' plantation, it is the most wonderful dis covery of the age and will more than produce all the cotton needed to supply the demands of the whole world
 "There is no hoax or joke about this; Senor Hilario Cuevas is one of the wealthiest and best known planters in this part of Mexico. Almost any business man in Guadalajara can confirm my 1 statements about this discovery. The de- partment of fomento and communications 1