72 REPORT OF THE AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH 



employed in the United States. Of the chance of success 

 for Egyptian cotton in the Punjab there Is more doubt. 

 The ]3ombay merchants consider that the Egyptian cotton 

 grown in Sind is distinctly inferior to that directly im- 

 ported from Egypt, and that from the Punjab would prob- 

 ably be no better. 



In Sind the Cotton Specialist discussed the subject 

 of cotton cultivation with Mr. Henderson, Deputy Director 

 of Agriculture. The latter is of opinion that the very 

 sanguine estimates formed on the results of trial sowings 

 of Egyptian cotton, must be considerably modified in the 

 light of recent results. He states that no further exten- 

 sion of the area suitable for growing Egyptian cotton can 

 be counted on outside the Jamrao canal district until 

 a further system of perennial canals is constructed, and 

 that on the Jamrao canal a maximum of not more than 

 10,000 — 20,000 acres could be sown under favourable cir- 

 cumstances. Further, owing to scarcity of labour, 

 occasional scarcity of water and the often alkali condition 

 of the soil, the Jamrao cultivators prefer a surer, if less 

 profitable, return in the cultivation of millets and short 

 stapled indigenous cotton to giving the requisite care to the 

 cultivation of Egyptian cotton. Despite the unsatisfac- 

 tory results hitherto obtained, Mr. Henderson believes 

 that good results can be got with Egyptian cotton when 

 Egyptian methods of cultivation are closely followed. He 

 lays special stress on very careful cultivation and rotation 

 of the cotton crop with her seem {Tri folium aleocandrium). 



The American cottons, Texas Big Boll and Boyd's 

 Prolific and also the acclimatised Dharwar- American, have 

 been tested during the last year in Sind and have given 

 promising results. They have a shorter growing period 

 than Egyptian cotton, enabling them to be sown on inunda- 

 tion canals. 



At the sewage farm in Karachi Spence cotton, 

 Egyptian cotton and Sea Island cotton were tried with 

 disappointing results. This was to be expected, as cotton 

 is in no way a suitable crop for a sewage farm. 



