The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-08-16
COTTON IN RUSSIA is
AN EXPENSIVE CROP
Planters Must Have Credit and
They Have Been Slow in
Replying.

W.SHINCloN. Aug -, The following
concerning cotton cultivation In Russia
Is sent by United States Consul General
John u. Suodgrass, stationed At Moscow
Cotton cultivation Is very expensive
and the land owners can succeed only IL
credit Is extended to them by cotton
Arms. These firms usually advance money
for that purpose In the spring under Sc
curtty Of the future crop. Last seasons
market. however. brought cunsidera bic
loss. which with the general economic
crisis In Turkestan forced the cotton
Arms to curtail the spring loans In 1914
Forty To forty-hvo per cent OF the
money advance last year amounting to
100000 to 100000, has not yet been
returned. The cotton firms this year
extended the time Of payment of the old
debts and added only 10 to 20 per cent
OF new credits, which were conservat!vely
granted late in the season. Cotton plant
ers, however, came out this season bette
than expected on account OF the album
dance of cattle and feed and the high
cotton prices OF las. year, which made
money more plentiful tn usual.
The winter was dry IN Turkestan but
toward tho md snow I'm the mountain
portions of Ferghana rendered fears of
drought needless. In Bolthara water Is
obtained from the River Zarlavshana In
Sa.narkand and from reservoirs In that
country which are filed when the snow
melts IN the spring Generally there is
sufficient water, but the crops arc in
jured II Il does not get to Bokhara early
N the season. This spring ther was
plenty OF water and II arrived in good
season,
In Transcaucasla the winter was ex-
ceedngly dry. There was little snow in
the mountains and no rain in the early
spring, but rain In April somewhat I'm
proved conditions Nearly everywhere In
the cotton region the weather was favor
able during the time of preparing the
soil and OF planting. and the cotton crops
are two weeks ahead OF last years. The
temporary dropping OF the temperature
In Andijan county tFerghana) In the
middle or May and the heavy rains with
hail that swept the counties OF Naman-
Gau and TashHend caused no apprccla DE
damage 10 cotton, The locusts that ap-
peared In large numbers In the Golodnaya
Steppe were actively combatted and de-
stroyed
The least favorable reports come from
Novourgentcha (Khiva), where the cot
ton crop is belated. owing to lack OF
water. In the eastern part of Trans
cauce sia the planting OF cotton was &C
lively pushed. especially in the Province
OF Eisavetpol and the Nugan Steppe.
The following figures for the cotton
/ acreage OF Russia, which differ consld-
erdby from those OF the Central Sta
tistical Committee, were taken from In
! dustry and Trade for June IS The area
! planted TO cotton In 1914 was given as
| 100000 acres I'm increase of about s
pcr cent. over 1919. The acreage IS DIS
tributed as follows; Transcaspia, $4,000
acres Bokhara Territory and Tchardjuy
and kerltin districts 1880 acres
Samarhand Territory and KattaNurgan
! district $1,000 acres Tashkend and Syr-
Dara territories, 400 acres Ferg-
hama Territory l,0is,Si0 acres; Khlva
! Territory. l26.210 acres The latest cN-
net figures for the cotton acreage Of
Transcaucasia relate 10 1912, when there
we're S0S,sbo acres; tor l9l4 the area
under cotton Ia estimated ~ Sla1lO
acres,