Albuquerque morning journal., 1915-05-17
WAR EMPHASIZES
VALUE TO RUSSIA
Of COTTON CROP
Economists and Manufacture
erS Believe Government WIN
Make Renewed Efforts to
Extend Cultivation,

Petrograd. May 6.--One result OF
the war, IN the opinion Of the econ
omisls aud manufacturers here. VIII
be tn emphasize the value of Russia
native cotton crop 70 her cotton man
ufacturing industries and there viii
certainly be renewed efforts on the
part Of the government TO encourage
the extension OF the crop.
The government already has plans
In hand for extensive Developments
in this direction both ia Russian
rurlestan aud in -Caucasia.
these being the two principal cotton
growing districts
In Turkestan. cotton growing is
possible only under irrigation. which
is supplied by a number Of rivers
dowing from the mountains into the
plains. irrigation is said 10 have been
introduced here by the Chinese. In
the first century of the Christian
era, and some OF the old works are
still In existence The governments
plans for further development in
this region include extensive engi-
neering works, wllich would nearly
double the area at present available
for cotton cultivation.
Acreage Yield High.
The area at present under cotton
Ia Russia Is estimated at 1,250.000
acres. The average yield in very high.
being given by one authority as not
less than 300 pounds Of lint per acre,
as against 200 pounds in America
and 100 pounds in India. The best
districts are said to Weld an average
OF about 450 pounds.
The development OF cotton grow
ing has been foslered By the high
import duty of nearly cents "A
pound imposed upon imported cot
ton. The Russian cotton-growlng dis
triets are the most northerly cotton
growing areas in the world. being Eve |
degrees further north than the linz
its of cotton growing In the United |
States. The native cotton is OF rough !
staple, similar to Indian corn. but In |
Russia, as in many other parts OF I
the world, the cotton famine caused. |
by the American war led to attempts \
to extend the cultivation of the plant 4.
and 20 introduce foreign varieties.
Sea Island. seed was the first tried, but !
proved unsuitable. Laier on trials
were made with American upland
seed. which proved successful, 1t
soon became acciiuiatized. and ! was
Dn account of its spnerior quality and
higher yield
The increase in the Russian crop
Is the most important contribution TO
the world supply tint has been made
by any country in the world, with the
possible exception of China, during
the present century In the furtherl
development of new cotton areas
there are two chief considerations.
labor and transportation. The labor
supply is already short and the de-
iclency must presumably be supplied
by encouraging immigration from
,ther thlckly populated parts OF the
Russian empire. The immigration is
rot likely to be accomplished without
for Turkestan only be-
anne Russian about fifty years ago.
md the mixed population still re-
gard the Russian as an alien con-
Iuering race.
Better transportation facilities are
Necessary not only to bring the crop
o market, but also TO provide whcat
md other supplies for the increased ,
population. The basis for the neees-
ary transportation Is already in ex-
stenco, however, both In Turkestan ,
nd Trans-caucasia The Russian gov
rnment has developed system Of
running east and wdst
Turkestan, linked up with
he trans Siberian line. Trans-cau- ,
asia also has some excellent rail I
Ways, with similar connections with Z
he main Russian system.
The cotton crop OF 1914 in Ttirke-
tan and Trans-caucnsio Is said TO
ave been the largest on record. :
mounting TO as much as 100000 n
ales. Prices have been we'll MAIN
aimed, owing to the difficulty Of oh a
aiming supplies from abroad and the
increased cost of transport from i'm h
points.