The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1907-10-13
EGYPTIAN
COTTON

The development Of the cotton IN
dustry in any part Of the world is
always OF a certain degree of inter
est to- the people of the South, bat
so many unsuccessful attempts have
been made to compete with this Sec
tion of the world in raising the staple
crop which seem peculiarly our
own that we are never. alarmed
The contract has been let for
raising the Assouan dam, in the Nile
OF Upper Egypt, and with the in
creased capacity for irrigation the
supply Of Egyptian cotton will be in
creased to some extent, but even the
aosiest view which the authorities
take Of the matter does mot contem-
plate crop within the next ten or
fifteen years which can be seriously
considered as a factor in the worlds
visible supply.
The Egyptian acreage under culti-
walton last year was, in round num-
bers, million and half, and the
average yield was four and half
kantars-one kantar being equal TO
about hundred pounds. The Egyp-
tian Gazette figures out that the
area under cotton in lower Egybt
alone is I,26oIo7 acres, this repre-
senting about forty per cent of the
total cultivated area in that division
of the country. The whole of this
area under cotton in lower Egypt
ton, is cotton bearing. These fig
ures. therefore, indicate that on an
average cotton is grown ON the same
land two years out of five The area
under cotton in upper Egypt IS given
as I46,I83 acres. This represents on
ly a small proportion of the cultivat-
ed area, less than half the latter be-
ing under perennial irrigation More
over, the climatic conditions south Of
Assioutare unfavorable for growing
cotton. In ordes to ascertain TO what
extent the cotton bearing is suscep-
tible OF expansion. We assume tina
the whole of the basin lands in the
northern half OF upper Egypt will b,
bitought under berss& walls.
brought unders perennial irrigation
and that cultivated portions in boil
upper and lower Egypt will ultimate
1y be reclaimed. The cotton bearins
will then extend over some 5000 oo
acres (belng the total of 63S7,Io
acres given above. less about 500, 90
acres south OF A5siout-. On the basi
of
mum, and yield of four and hal
Iaantars per acre this area might pro
duce an annual cotton crop of abou
100000 kantars. 1t is to be oh
served that a considerable portion c
the land at present under cultivatio
IS being improved, which will with
out doubt contribute to raise til
average yield per acre.
On the other side must be set til
consideration that last years GRO
was so favored by a good Nile an
satisfactory climatic conditions as {
raise the average yield above the |,
vel OF recent years. OF the total
ro.ooo.ooo kantars, MO more than 70
100000 kantars would consist of til
Mitaff, Abassi, and oannovitch v;
rites, for which the Delta is famou
the remaining 100000 kantars r
presenting the lower grade cote
produced in upper Egypt. Lord CIR,
mer, IN discussing these figures, r
marks in his report for 1906:
1T will. of course, be understoe
that this crop of 100000 kanta
cannot be produced until both Il
supply OF water has been largely i
creased, either by raising the Assou;
dam or by some other means and u
til reclamation works on a lar
scale have been executed in low
Egypt. Sir William Garstin, pro
ably the highest authority on the So
ject, says: I do not Think that I,
100000 kautars as an eventual yis
for the Egyptian cotton crop is atS
N impossible fgslFe, but il will "a