188 THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



be smaller tracts of high grade staple, yielding a larger return per acre. 

 The labor of the family would be sufficient to do a portion of the pick- 

 ing, which in the case of Egyptian cotton is perhaps the easiest out 

 of door labor on the farm. This would not only bring into the family 

 the price of picking, but would tend to minimize the labor troubles. 

 In such a case, diversification of crops would result, with part of the 

 land in high grade cotton yielding a gross return of from $75 to $200 

 per acre, the cotton to be rotated with alfalfa, part of the land in fruit 

 and part in vegetables. Cotton is a staple crop, which could be 

 depended upon year after year for a good, substantial cash income ; it 

 could be grown between the trees in a young orchard with good success!. 

 The economic factors are so closely allied with the type of cotton 

 grown that it seems best to consider the two together. California con- 

 ditions are different from those of other states, except for parts ot 

 Arizona. The climate in parts of the State is particularly adapted 

 to the culture of Egyptian cotton, and as but few other localities in 

 the United States can grow the crop successfully — namely the Yuma 

 and Salt River valleys of Arizona, and possibly limited portions of the 

 country in Southern Texas along the lower Rio Grande — it would seem 

 to be a waste of natural resources not to utilize the advantage. Let us 

 then consider, first, the production of Egyptian cotton as a possibility 

 for the more densely populated sections of the State. 



PRODUCTION OF EGYPTIAN COTTON. 



The production of Egyptian cotton at the present time is practically 

 limited to the Valley of the Nile. Over 60.000,000 pounds of this cotton 

 are imported into this countrv every year, having a valuation of from 

 $10,000,000 to $12,000,000. 'Several' varieties are on the market— 

 the Janovitch being the best grade. The main bulk of the importa- 

 tion is Mit Affi, a cotton with fiber from 1^ to Ij^ inches in length. 

 It is strong and silky and has a good twist. The IMit Affi is distinguished 

 particularly by the brownish tinge which is used in Egypt as a dis- 

 tinguishing mark when Mit Affi cotton is selected by hand from the 

 Hindu, or weed cotton. Let me say that this laborious hand selection 

 can be eliminated in this country by the more scientific method, 

 originated by Cook, of the United States Department of Agriculture, 

 whereby the weed cotton is distinguished by the vegetative characters 

 and culled out before blooming, thus preventing the hybridization 

 and mixing. The Egyptian cotton is not so long nor so strong as the 

 Sea Island cotton, M'hich is the best on the market. The Sea Island 

 cotton, as mentioned before, is not well suited to conditions in this State. 

 The Egyptian cotton is used largely in the manufacture of thread, 

 auto tires and high pressure hose, mail bags and other articles requiring 

 strength, and the mercerized product is used as a substitute for silk. 



Egyptian cotton was first introduced and propagated by the United 

 States Department of Agriculture, and attempts were made to grow 

 it in the Yuma Valley of Arizona. Little success was at first attained, 

 as the change of climate and soil conditions caused much variation, 

 and the proximity of other cotton resulted in deterioration. Careful 

 selections were made, and in 3908 an apparent mutation was discovered 

 in the Mit Affi cotton, which has been propagated and has developed 

 into the basis of the Arizona Egyptian cotton industry. In 1911, 



