40 Ts^OTES ON EGYPTIAN AGRICULTURE. 



trunsporlatiou is easy both by rail aud by water. The season is from 

 September to May, and during its height the factories work night 



and day. 



The gin ahnost invariably used in Egypt is that known as Macar- 

 thy's patent self-feeding single action. It is particularly suited to 

 long-stapled cotton, and seijarates the seeds without crushing, while 

 the fiber is as a rule uninjured. The 40-inch gin so commonly used 

 costs, when complete with roller, shafting, etc., about 1150. The gin 

 alone costs $00. It is said to require only 1^ indicated horsepower to 

 drive it, but in practice from 3 to 4 horsepower are allowed. The 

 quantity of cotton turned out per hour varies according to tlie speed 

 at which the gn runs. It is supposed to give a hundredweight of 

 clean cotton per hour, but from 90 to 100 pounds is considered a good 

 average. Running at 000 oi- 1,000 revolutionii per minute, 100 pounds 

 of til)er per hour will bo ginned, or, say from 000 to 1,100 pounds per 

 day of ten hours. The driving pulleys being now provided with bal- 

 ance weights, the gin can lun at an increased speed with but little 

 increase in vibration. The gin is not large, the floor space it occupies 

 being less than 17 square feet, while the net weight is less than 700 

 pounds. In Egyptian factories from 50 to 100 of such machines are 

 generally found. 



Regarding the cost of working, it may be taken as a general average 

 that 30 cents will gin a cantar of cotton, i. e., 315 pounds of the seed 

 and fiber, giving approximately 100 pounds of clean cotton. Accord 

 ing to the reports of the State Donuiins the net cost of ginning is 20 

 cents p?r cantar, and tlius an acre of good cotton yielding cantars 

 would cost a little' over $1.50 for ginning (actual cost). 



The gins are geiK^-ally arranged in two rows, with a trolley line 

 down the middle for the removal of the cotton. The latter is taken 

 to the press room, which is situated at the end of the ginning room. 

 Botli hydraulic and steam presses are used. In the small factories, 

 the former only are found aud the bales are steam pressed at Alex- 

 andria. In the large factoi-ies the good qualities are pressed twice. 

 After removal from the gins the fil)er is spread out and sprinkled 

 with water by means of a fine syringe and then put into hydraulic 

 bales. After remaining a day the cotton is steam pressed, and the 

 three bands which are' used in the former case are replaced by eleven 

 in the steam bale. The seed after removal froni the gin is elevated 

 to riddles, which allow those posse; sing no adhei-ing lint to pass 

 through, while the rest is carried on to the "scarto" gin, which 

 removes short fiber. 



One or two of such gins, each requiring 5 horsepower, are sufficient 

 for 100 ordinary gins and turn out about 4 bales of "scarto" cotton 

 per day. The seed is subsequently put into bags containing an ardeb 

 (5.4 bushels), the weight being about 270 pounds, and is sent to Alex- 



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