42 HTNDT COTTON IN EGYPT. 



remember when the INIit Afifi or the Jannovitch varieties produced 

 fields of uniform plants, all of the same height, Avith none of the 

 irregularities now shown by the tall hybrid plants of the Hindi- 

 infested fields. But in the absence of any actual countings in former 

 years it is not possible to determine what change has taken place. 



From the standpoint of the Mendelian theory of heredity an in- 

 creased representation of the Hindi characters would not be expected 

 to occur unless additional contamination took place from outside 

 sources, which appear to be lacking in Egypt. Mathematicians have 

 shoAvn that characters expressed according to the Mendelian theory 

 would not tend to increase, but would remain at the same general 

 proportion in a mixed population." 



Nevertheless, an increasing dominance or stronger tendency of 

 expression of the Hindi characters should not be dismissed as impos- 

 sible, for it has been noticed in experiments with Egyptian-Upland 

 hybrids that the Upland characters seem to attain a more and more 

 predominant expression in the later generations, even when selec- 

 tions are made with a view to preserve the Egj-ptian or intermediate 

 characters among the hybrids. Though no direct statistical evi- 

 dence regarding the supposed increase is likely to be obtained, it 

 may be possible to throw light on the question indirectly by the 

 study of the tendencies of expression shown in artificial hybrids be- 

 tween the Egyptian and Hindi types. P^xperiments of this kind 

 were begun by the making of such hybrids in Arizona in the season 

 of 1909. 



The popular impression of a gradual increase in the proportion of 

 Hindi cotton is supported by the general opinion of the commercial 

 world that the quality of the Eg^^ptian cotton is declining. This 

 may mean that poorer qualities are being sent out under the same 

 marks or that the ginning establishments are finding it more difficult 

 to keep their product up to recognized standards. Either of 

 these results, or both, might naturally be caused if the Hindi cotton 

 continues to multiply in the face of the selection that is now being 

 applied.'' 



Considered on a percentage basis, a considerable amount of selec- 

 tion has undoubtedly been directed against the Hindi cotton. In 



" Hardy, G. II. Mondolian Proportions in a Mixed Population. Science, n. s., 

 vol. 2S, p. 48. July 10, r.)US. 



'^ Tlie idea of a progressive deterioration of the Egyptian product is confirmed 

 by a recent authoritative statement published while the present report was in 

 preparation: "There is no gainsaying the unaninious ovidenee that the general 

 character of l'>rown Egyptian cotton Iby wliich Lancashire means Atifi] has 

 gone down most marl^edly from the standard of 15 years. ago. All the spinners 

 of fine counts, to whom strength is everything, speak with regret of the Afifi o-f 

 those days. Without exception they say that during recent years they have 

 continually been compelled, in order to maintain their standards of strength, 

 210 



