The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-09-23
STIMULATE
 PRODUCTION. Colombia to Develop Co,
 ton Growing. COUNTIES GIVEN GROWERS Present Methods of Raising Fleecy
 Staple Arc Crude. The Crop This Year Has Been Beyond Expectation, Which Fact Has
 Created a Most Optimistic
nY ALFRED J. sToFER.

Washington, Sept. 22-(Special) )-Ac- cording to report just received at the Bureau of Manufacturers, the govern ment of the United States of Colombia in South America. is striving energet- icaIly to stimulate the production of cotton by giving bounties to the grow CTS of the staple. Recently The Ad- vertiser published lengthy account. of the efforts being made to increase the crop in India, and before that there appeared several articles showing the large increase of cotton seed products in European countries.
 The information that now comes from 4 Colombia is on a different line from anything received concerning cotton since the establishment of the Bureau. The crude methods of raising the sffeecy staple in Colombia and the chances for selling machinery by man ufacturers in our own country will be apt to attract the attention of those directly and indirectly engaged in the cotton industry in the United States.
 Consul F. P. Demers of BarranQutlla, reports that the government CT Col 0mbla has lately been making great efforts to develop on a considerable scale the growing of cotton throughout the country, especially on the Atlantic
 
 adapted to that branch of agriculture. The consuls account of the movement, with some facts in regard to Colom- bias importation of cotton goods. fol- lows;
 Free Cotton Seed.
 The crop this year has been beyond expectation, which fact has had the re- suit of creating an optimistic view as to future possibilities. and everybody in this vicinity Is now bent on grow ing cotton. The central government in Bogota has put it's shoulder to the wheel by establishing an agronomical station in Apulo for the purpose Of eX- perimenting on the different varieties of cotton. It has just imported large quantities of seeds from Peru, whose cotton is reputed to be one of the best in the world, and is distributing them free throughout the country to whom soever will plant them. bounty oi S1. gold. per quinta1 (110 pounds) has been decreed on all native cotton ginned ana properly baled for domestic con sumption until October 1, 1908, and or all such cotton ginned and baled fol export until October l, 1910. Thii aubyention is at present equivalent tC one-thtrd of the price which the farm CTS have been getting for their pro duets It means to them a raise o s3 per cent. and can not help givinf the industry tremendous boom Thef' are on this coast some 5O.O00 squar miles of land available for cotton grow ing. and thousands of good farm hands who are today almost idle, and coul' he hired for from 40 to 60 cents pc day.
 The reports which have from tn carious ginners show the last crol around Barranquila to have been 4,31 bales of 140 pounds each, with 1918 sacks of cotton seed of 132 pounds each This Is an increase of more than 20 per cent over the crop of 1906. Excep for a few bales consumed in Colon bia in local manufactures. the entir crop was marketed in Havre, Liverpool and Hamburg, Havre having this yea maid the best prices. to-wit, n franc per 50 lciios, equivalent to 12 1-2 cent ner pound The seeds have been mar keted in Liverpool at s37 per ton.
 Primitive Methods.
 The whole Atlantic coast of Colon : bia to some eighty miles toward tn interior is adapted to the cultivation c cotton. It is a sandy and very calca reous land, and the climate is dr! without any rain from December ti May and moderate from May to De cember. No irrigation is used. Tn beginning of the rainy season. general Iv April and May, is chosen for tn sowing. in order to facilitate the ger minating. If the spring is dry, tn sowing takes place in September, an the harvest follows accordingly, gen eraIlv from December to April On pIant gives from two to six pounds ( cotton, but sometimes as much as te bounds gross. The seeds are SOW sbout six feet apart two or thre inches deep. and four or five seeds inc hill. There is no blowing of an kind done, but the land is first burne over. after which the seeds are presse down with a stick. This, togethf with two machete cteanlngs per seaso comprise the entiPe cultivation; yer nrfmitive indeed Between the TOW