20 HINDI COTTON IN EGYPT. 



at Calioub and Slut, in fields where the phiiits had grown very 

 large. The hills were each noticed in turn to see whether they con- 

 tained Hindi plants. Hills with no Hindi were assumed to have two 

 Egjqjtian plants. The general effect of this plan would be to reduce 

 somewhat the apparent proportion of Hindi plants, since it is prob- 

 able that in most of the fields there would be more hills with a singli^ 

 plant than with three or four plants. Nevertheless, it might be that 

 the figures obtained in this way would be more reliable, in view of the 

 larger areas that might be insi)ected in a limited time. 



To serve as a general basis of judgment regarding the prevalence 

 of the Hindi cotton in Egypt, countings of individual plants were 

 made in several different localities. In most localities several sepa- 

 rate counts were made, usually in fields of different proprietors, or 

 at least of different tenant cultivators. The figures obtained do not 

 represent the full extent of Hindi contamination of the stock, for in 

 most cases a more or less careful roguing out of the Hindi plants 

 had already taken place. The psychological factor of the individual 

 cultiA^ator enters, therefore, as an important element in the calcula- 

 tions. One field might have only a few Hindi plants, while the next 

 would have a considerable percentage. Thus of two adjacent fields 

 at Tanta one showed less than 3 per cent of Hindi, the other 15 per 

 cent. 



Questioning of the native cultivators showed wide differences of 

 individual opinion. Some of them were quite alive to the need of 

 pulling out all of the Hindi cotton and showed annoyance or offered 

 excuses if reminded that many Hindi plants were still to be found in 

 their fields. Others took a more languid interest in the matter. 

 One cultivator might claim to have pulled out large nmnbers of 

 Hindi already, while his neighbor might not think it necessary to 

 admit any responsibility for pulling out the Hindi at all. He would 

 not deny, perhaps, that he had heard of the need of pulling out bad 

 cotton plants, but would insist that very fcAv people did it. 



The popular impression in Egypt among people who consider 

 themselves informed about cotton growing is that selection receives 

 proper attention in the Delta region, where the Mit Afifi and Janno- 

 vitch, the principal varieties of Egyptian cotton, are grown, but is 

 very much neglected in Upper Egypt, where the Ashmuni and other 

 inferior stocks are produced. It seems, however, that this impres- 

 sion may relate to more careful sorting done in the ginning establish- 

 ments of the Delta rather than to any really efficient selection in the 

 field. Even about Tanta and ^Nlansurah, the recognized centers of 

 production of high-grade fiber, a conspicuous representation of the 

 Hindi cotton was seen in a large proportion of the fields. 



The percentages of Hindi plants counted in fields at Tanta. in 

 Lower Egypt, are about the same as those obtained at Beni-Suef. in 



210 



