The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-06-26
INTERESTING DATA ON WORLDS COTTON United State Still Far in
 the Lead GAINS MADE ABROAD Various Countries Are Conducting Experiments and Their Annual
 Production Is Showing a
 Steady Increase

Washington, June 24.-(Specia1) )--Ac- cording to the census bureaus forth coming bulletin Ill, on cotton produc- ton for 1910, the worlds crop last year was short of the quantity needed for the consumption.
 The area of the world in which cot ton can be successfully grown Is vast, but owing to the varying conditions in intersections where it will grow it's pro duetion Is found improbable except | In well-defned areas. Because of the | insufficiency of the supply of this fiber to meet fully the demands of the trade | and because of the desire of European manufacturers to be independent of the | influences due to the preponderance of | the American crop, many efforts have been made in recent year1 to extenc | the cultivation of cotton to new fields While failure has often resulted, suc- l cess has attended these efforts in a number of countries, among which may be mentioned Russian Turkestan, Peru, British India and Persia. In these countries, especially the first two it's extension has been taken up in a more serious manner-irpigatlon works have been built and improved machinery in stalled for treating the fiber. Efforts have been made to foster the eultiva- ton of cotton in a number of other countries, but the United States still produces about two-thirds of the entire mill supply of the world. British India, Russia and China follow in order of im- portance.
 The worlds production In 1910 amounted to 9,5S5, 5,5Oo,OO0 pounds, with an estimated value of about $1 .250, 900, 900.
 In 179O the West Indies furnished about 70 per cent of the total cotton supply of the world, the Mediterranean countries 20 per cent, and Brazil 8 per eeul The quantity of cotton supplied by he .Hnited States and British India combined was al that lime less than l per cent of the total, while its cultiva- tion had not been begun in Egypt. In 1910 the United States contributed 599 per cent of the total quantity of com mercial cotton; British India 1S3 per cent; Egypt per cent, and Russia A. per cent. Of the countries that were
 
 in 1790 Brazil and Asiatic Turkey alone have retained any importance.
 Cotton Area in the United States
 The greatest cotton growing section in the world. both in area and produc- tion, is located fin the southwestern part of the United States. It includes small portions of Virginia, Kentucky, Mis- eOnrt as the states lying to the southward. This cotton producing area Is about 1900 miles long from east to west and about 800 miles in width. Within the past few years the cultivation of cotton has been undertaken In Arizona and California, and considerable success has attained its growth in the latter state The total area of the counties in which cotton was ginned from the crop of 1910 Is approximately 625,000 square miles, or about 400, 900, 900 acres. Of this, only about one acre in every 13 was devoted to cotton.
 Production in the Island Possessions
 At one time the cultivation of cotton in Porto Rico formed an important in- dustry and records show that in 1887 1000, 900 pounds were exported From that time the production gradually fell off, but increased during the Civil war In the United States. Since 1870 mol cotton has been exported, and at present it's cultivation on the island has been practically abandoned.
 Cotton growing was introduced into the Hawaiian islands in 1877 by the T in 1885. Beyond demonstrating the possibility of growing the plant, very little was accomplished in the produc- tion of the staple Although the eli mate and soil are suited to its cultiva- tion and the better varieties thrive, the use of the land for more remunerative crops makes its extensive production in these islands improbable.
 Cotton was first introduced into the Philippine Islands by the Spaniards. A long staple variety was cultivated, from which a fine grade of cloth Wa made and exported. Recently, However, the production has bsen very small and of an inferior grade. It is estimated that the crop of 1910 furnished about $500 bales of 800 pounds each to the total supply of cotton for mill consump- tion.
 British Indies Crop
 The cotton plant is indigenous to h. dia. and it's fiber has been employed by the people of that country for making clothing for thousands of years. This production, however, did not attain com mercial importance in the modern sense until its culture there, as in many other countries, felt the stimulating effect of the high prices for cotton which re- suited from the demoralized conditions caused by the Civil war in the United