558 Journal of the Department of Agriculture. — Dec, 1922. 



Report No. IX. 



TOBACCO AND COTTON. 



Cltief of Dirision : W. H. Scherffius, M.Sc. 



1. Publications. — In addition to articles in the Jounuil, a 

 l)ainplilet, " Wild Fire and Angul:ir tSpot," \\:is issued and a number 

 of articles prepared for the agricultural press. 



2. To])ncro. — The 1920-21 tobacco crop for the Union was 

 16,620,640 lb., as compared with 11,644,.3()0 lb. the year previous. The 

 price for the best grades remained fairly steady, but the lower grades 

 suffered a heavy decline. This is attributable to various causes. The 

 wet season during the curing period caused a large percentage of dark 

 and low-grade leaf, and the general financial depression throughout 

 the world caused a big decline generally in the prices of agricultural 

 products. The excise tax, coming at this time, further tended to 

 unsettle the market, but the relief m.easures adopted by the (lovern- 

 nient and the amended excise law should assist in restoring stability. 

 The exports and imports of tobacco for 1921, not including Rhodesia, 

 were resjjectively 641,825 and 356,286 lb. The Rustenburg and Parys 

 tobacco societies were in a somewiiat depressed condition for a while, 

 but the relief measure referred to above, and later a slight improve- 

 nnmt in the market, eased the situation. The Turkish Toi)acco Society 

 was in a much better position on account of the supply not being equal 

 to the demand for this type of tobacco. 



3. Cotton. — The cotton crop for the previous year amounted to 

 1,169,298 lb. of lint, thus maintaining the progressive annual increase 

 since 1909. The 1922 crop, although showing a light yield per acre, 

 will average out very well for the whole area i)lanted, as fortunately 

 there was a comparatively small amount of destruction by insects. 

 The price of cotton steadily advanced till July, 1922, when it stood at 

 about 13d. per lb., cash ((notations on American middlings. With 

 the alarming reports of a declining yield of American cotton, the 

 opportunity of developing- a big industry in this country is most 

 encouraging. The Co-operative Cotton Growers' Exchange should be 

 of mutual advantage to cotton growers in the disposal of their crop, 

 as it is always advantageous to have for disposal a large parcel all of 

 one grade. 



4. Pure Seed. — The demand for improved cotton seed became so 

 urgent and the necessity so apparent, that the Government decided to 

 station a plant breeder at the Rustenburg Experiment Station to 

 devote his time to this important work. Further, authority was 

 received to increase the acreage of cotton lands. This was done, but 

 the specialist was not secured, and this line of investigation did not 

 make the progress hoped for. 



5. Britisli Cotton Growing Association'.^ Frizes. — The second 

 competition for the year 1920-21 was completed in so far as the Divi- 

 sion was concerned, as the samples were sent to the Association some 

 time ago to be judged. Arrangements are being made for the third 

 competition to take place during the year 1922-23. The prizes offered 



