The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-07-20
PORTUGAL PLANS
TO RAISE COTTON
Thinks it Can be Done Profita-
bly, in Colonies
SOME EXPERIMENTS MADE
National Factories Consume About
100000 Worth Annually, Most
of Which Comes From
the United States.
SOME EXPERIMENTS MADE

Washington. July 10-(special)-A
Charles Page Bryan, minister to Portu-
gal, furnishes information concerning the
subject of increasing and fostering the
production of cotton In the Portuguese
colonies He transmits the translation
of an article from the "Diaro de Noticlas"
of Lisbon, describing the adoption of
decree to this end. The Portuguese Cot
ton Growing association referred to in
the decree was established at a recent
meeting of the Lisbon Geological society
whose exhibit of coffee, cotton, cocoa
and other products of the Portuguese
colonies, Mr.. Bryan states. was largely
attended and favorably mentioned. The
article in part follows:
The decree of March 20 is at last in
force. whereby the late minister of the
colonies, Senior Morelra junior, solved the
problem of cotton culture in the Port
uguese colonies, if advantage is taken
of the great aid which this decree offers.
The decree outlines the establishment
in Portugal of a similar institution to
those in England, France, Germany and
Italy, which shall take upon itself the
duty of promoting and encouraging cot
ton culture in the colonies by every de-
vice of propaganda and incentive, as the
cultivation of cotton there which reached
| stage of great development not so
| very long ago, has been nearly forgot
ten. With new we'll chosen seed stock,
in well cultivated and accessible lands
set apart for the purpose. and with the
selection of seeds and the constant per-
lection of the growing process there
can, in the shortest time compatible with
the difficulties to be overcome, be fur
| nshed at least raw material enough to
supply all the wants of the national fac
tories-raw material, which, roughly
speaking, represents an annual value of
1900 to 5000 contos ($4.O800O0 to $50S0,00O)
now paid to America, the chief producing
country. and to Brazil whence about a
fourth of our imports come.
Portuguese Cotton Growing Companies
We have spoken of this subject at
various times, and we now request the
natural protection of the geographical so
ciety. as the matter in hand is so closely
connected with the high functions which
this society exercises in our colonial do
mlnior7 Two most worthy institutions
were recently founded in Lisbon each of
which now has a membership of over 1000
the dues being payable monthly and an
nually which shows the possibility of
solving great problems by a combination
of forces and eager minds. and how the
necessary capital may be obtained by
little Offering from eacn. The example or
the foreign associations removes all
doubts which may arise concerning the
possibility of promoting and successfully
rivaling America in cotton culture.
t,It al ctriR t haq ION
carefully selected our attention will be di
rected to all the lands included within that
district where there are no traces what
ever of cotton there exist today expert
mental stations skillfully directed, whose
Importance increases each year In pro-
pu.tion to the bringing OF new lands un-
| der cultivation. and the enlargement of
| the plantations as far as the capital stock
| will permit.
Fibre Production of Colonies.
| In Portugal two years have been wasted
| in discussing matters and the uncertain
ties and delays which characterize our Of
fetal way of doing business would have
kept things thus until today IL the nitia-
tive OF the ex-minister of the colonies.
cutting all these knots and complications,
had not settled the mStter by his decree
| of March 90 In spite OF the delay In the
| official undertakings, II Is certain that
| two years I have already stated that the
province Of Angola cultivated and ex-
| ported cotton on an important scale.
| which even In some years reached 100000
| xilos, worth 100000 milreis (milreis-$1.OS
! American). then degenerating into COM
| plete abandonment of the industry, the
| minimum of 400 mllrels being reached in
| the figures for the entire crop of 1903. In
| 1904 Angola increased her expectation of
| cotton to IS 900 kilos worth IL, 200 milreis
and in 1906, 10000 lSilos. worth 5000 mill
reis. were exported, while during the
months of January and February of this
year Q906) the figures were 10000 l1ilos,
worth 5000 milrels. On the east coast.
where nothing had been raised before.
55ss kilos, worth 1900 milreis. came to
the metropolis in 1905 in addition to the
GO. As klos worth 1900 milreis, exported
to England.
Fifty-three samples OF cotton were ex-
hibited in the geographical society's ex-
position. whereof 80 were from Mozam-
biaue, 16 from Angola, two from Lisbon
(Parede and SeixaD, and one each from
Timor and Guinea.