The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-11-24

claimed. can be met by special methods of cultivation. Next to the primitive manner of cultivation the greatest im- pediment to development Is lack of trans- portation, but that is being rapidly over come. At first there was fear that tho labor question would be an almost insu- perabie dificulty. The natives are nat uraliy suspicious of white men. and they are not accust,med to hard. continuous, methodicai toll. It has been found that the best way of handling them is through their chiefs. but these in turn will not empark upon speculative work until the, can see their way to success. After hav- ing made experimen and conducted ob- ssrvakions for a year the British Cotton Growing Association announces that there is every probability that large supply of medium staple cotton will be grown on the west coast. Quite recently about 100 bales of West African cotton came to Liverpool, and the value ranged from to Is cents less than for "middIing'' American. This cotton was pronounced substantially equal to American. the only infsriority being in the matter of color. partly due to premature picking by the natives, to stains caused by too long ex- posture to the weather. and to insufficient ginning. All these disadvantages may we'll D6 OVefCOnue, AuQ " must Do unOer- stood that the particular consignments of cotton in question were not brought here by the British Cotton Growing Associa- ton. but by various shipping companies who are naturally anxious to take ad- vantage of the opening for freights which the growing of cotton in West Africa promises them. On September 2s a ship arrived at Liverpool with 300 tons of cotton from West Africa. On the same day several samples of cot ton grown in the interior were exhibited on the Liverpool Exchange. The staple was deemed satisfactory, but the cotton was badly prepared for market. One of the greatest authorities on cotton in Eng land says as to the production of cotton on the west coast:
 'It is probable that the quantity will be an increasing one, especially if prices similar to those now obtainable continue. It is also likely the quality will improve, as the cotton received is indigenous cot I ton and not the outcome of expert advice or seed supplied by the British Cotton Growing Association"
 It is claimed that West Africa and Ni- geria have an area of land suitable for growing cotton equal to that of the cot ton-producing districts of the Southern States of America--but this claim seems
 
 1t is said, be had at from IS to 25 cents a day.
 Lagos.-Several gins and 100 tons of seed were sent to Lagos in 1902. There were then 4000 acres under cotton culti- vation. and since then the acreage has increased to 5000. The crop of 1902 was failure, owing, it is said, to the seed having arrived too late. Two experts from the Lincoln Institute, Jefferson City. Mo-. have been sent out
 Eighty tons of seed were sown last June The first deliveries of a crop of between 3.00o and 4,000 are expected at Liverpool about Christmas. A local association has been formed for the purpose of buying direct from the native producers in the Lagos .protectorate. It is the intention to use British instead of American gins Reports a few weeks ago showed that there had been a great development of the cotton trade in the interior, and that extra trains had to be put on the Gov ernment railroads to bring the supplies down to the coast. The natives have taken up cotton cultivation with enthusi- asm. Years ago cotton was exported from Lagos to the value of $3SO, 900 per year. The fall in the price of American cotton caused the trade to cease to be profitable. It is believed that cotton can
 
 States The protectorate has sent two small consignments of cotton to Liverpool this season-the first @ lotion lot, receiv- ed here in the middle of August, and the second Seton lot, received in Septembe: On October 12 there arrived at Liverpool 2.500 bags (over a tons} of unginned cot ton from Lagos. It win be ginned in Liv- erpool, as will all unginned cotton arriv- ing until proper machinery has been put up near the cotton fields. Next month, under the auspices of the Government, the British Cotton Growing Association, and the Chambers of Commerce of Liver pool and Manchester, an exhibition is to be held at Lagos for the express purpose of creating an interest in the growth of cotton.
 Nigeria-One of the leading and keen est cotton men in Liverpool, who has thoroughly investigated the matter, gives 1t as his opinion that Nigeria North and South) is destined to be a great cot ton-producing country in the not distant future. He says 1t has suitable climate and soil and a vast population we'll adapt ed for the labor; in this latter respect he claims tha tNigeria Is superior to any of the other experimental fields. Ameri- can experts and seed were sent out last year. Planting begins in the middle of May and the crop is gather late in November or early in December. It is grown in rows like cassava, two seeds being planted together, separated from the next two by about feetl Samples from northern Nigeria are said to have an excellent white color Gin that respect they beat coast cotton) and to be silky and strong. but they lack length of fiber. Owing to the outbreak of hostilities in northern Nigeria no active steps in cot ton growing have ben possible up to the present. Cotton growing is already in existence in northern Nigeria, and there is an extensive manufactory of cotton cloths at Kano, which has been termed ''the Manchester of Africa" The most serious difficulty Is the lack of transpor- tation facilities, and 1t seems doubtful whether cotton can be economically ex- ported from this part of Africa unless railway is constructed from the Niger to Kano.
 Sierra Leone-Last year an expert from Greenville, Miss, was sent to Freetown. Sierra Leone. In the spring a quantity