192 Journal of the Department of Agriculture. 



Cotton Growing Prospects. 



Mr. W. H. Sclierffius, Chief, Division of Tobacco and Cotton, who 

 has recently returned from a visit to the United States, spending a 

 few weeks also in England, asked to give his views on the cotton 

 market and its bearing on South African cotton gi^owing, states that 

 with cotton, as given in the latest reports, standing at about 2s. Id. 

 per 1 lb. of lint in England for American middlings, the outlook 

 for the cotton farmer in South Africa is exceedingly good, for should 

 he produce a crop of only 600 lb. of seed cotton per acre, it is worth 

 £15 to £20. A number of farmers who have been growing cotton 

 for the past two or three years have produced double and some more 

 than double this amount. With the world demand for more cotton 

 and a shortage increasing each year, there is little prospect of the 

 price falling to any considerable extent for years to come. Mr. 

 Sclierffius doubts whether American middlings will ever again be 

 (juoted at less than Is. per lb. 



That South African cotton growers are alive to the situation is 

 e^ idenced by the fact that over a hundred have entered a competition 

 given l)y the British Cotton Growers' Association, who offer prizes of 

 £'50 and £25 respectively for the best 50 acres and 10 acres of cotton. 

 In awarding the prizes the main points considered are— 



(a) best cultural methods employed ; 



(b) yield ; and 



(c) quality. 



]ih. Sclierffius will decide on the first two points, while the quality 

 will be judged by one of the experts of the Association. 



South Africa has now passed the " sample stage " m cotton 

 culture. Last year the Union produced approximately 2,000,000 lb. 

 of seed cotton, and if the season improves tlie acreage planted this 

 year should give a considerable increase over last season. 



Tliere are a number of jjcople who intend to go in for cotton 

 culture on a plantation basis, each undertaking running into hundreds 

 of acres. It is known that certain farmers have this year moje than 

 ■100 acres each under cotton, and that there is contemplated the 

 starting also of a steam plough system next year with a view to 

 l)lanting hundreds of acres to cotton. 



Our ginning facilities have greatly improved in the last few 

 years, but if the increase in cotton production progresses at the present 

 rate, considerable increase in the number of gins will be required. 

 Then, also, the time is approaching when oil mills will be needed to 

 work the seed into stock food, in the form of cake and meal, and also 

 for the extraction of the oil for food and commercial purposes. Such 

 a mill, it is believed, is now in process of construction. 



Mr. Sclierffius advises prospective growers that while the cotton 

 plant is exceedingly delicate and tender when very young, once it is 

 established, a few weeks old, there is no commercial crop that stands 

 drought better. Information desired on cotton culture may be 

 obtained by communicating with the Chief, Tobacco and Cotton Divi- 

 sion, Union Buildings, Pl'etoria. 



