DISTANCE BETWEEN THE COTTON BEDS. 



21 



very rare in Egypt to find even as great. a distance as 35 inches 

 between the beds, while on average land, producing a bale of cotton 

 (500 pounds) or even a bale and a half, about '30 inches or even less 

 may be looked upon as an average. On land which produces less 

 than a bale of cotton, less than 30 inches are left between the rows. 

 This in comparison with the 4 feet in common use in America, together 

 with the fact that Egyptian cotton produces a larger growth, consti- 

 tutes a sufficiently striking difference in practice. Though there is 

 a tendency among the most enlightened Egyptian planters to increase 

 somewhat the distance between the beds, yet it is qui<-'^ certain that 

 they will never reach the distances employed in America. There can 

 be no doubt that on certain areas of land in Egypt, where the plants 

 grow particularly large, ridges could with advantage be made 40 



A 

 B 



WATER 



I 



I ' I 



I I I 



III 



III 



III 



ill 



I < I 



I I I I 



I I I I 



I i_ ,1 i_ 



WATER 



Fig. 2. — AiTangement of ridges for irrigating cotton. 



inches apart, but it is at least doubtful whether it would be j^rofitable 

 to extend them farther. That, generally speaking, throughout Egypt 

 cotton is planted too closely there can be no doubt whatever. 



The whole of the cultivation subsequent to planting is accom- 

 plished by hand labor in Egypt, and it may be that the employment 

 of animal labor in the United States necessitates a greater width 

 between the rows. Whatever the reason, it can be said with safety 

 that practically no cotton is grown in Egypt in beds as far apart as 

 40 inches, while from 30 to 32 inches may be given as an average on 

 good medium soils and less on poor lands. 



As regards the distance between the plants in the row, it is rare to 

 find even on the best lands as much as 19 or 20 inches; the average 

 is about 15 or 16 inches. It must not be forgotten, also, that 2 plants 



