SECTION III: G. PUNCTATUM 177 



the natives have been educated up to agricultural pursuits doubtless African 

 the cultivation of cotton will receive due attention, and experiments series, 

 at the different botanical stations on the Coast have proved that 

 Egyptian, Sea Island, and five other varieties can be grown with 

 little care.' 



But a more instructive account, from the scientific standpoint, Sene- 

 is perhaps that written by M. Yves Henry, Director of Agriculture 8 ambia " 

 in French West Africa (I.e.). Chapter II. of that paper will be found 

 to discuss fully the varieties and races of the cotton plant met with 

 in Senegambia. Henry, while he places all these under G. punctatum, 

 admits that they vary to an extent that hardly admits of their con- 

 stituting but one species. He, moreover, states that for the past 

 eighty years new forms have been almost continuously introduced 

 and experimented with, and since grown side by side with the 

 indigenous stocks, have interbred to such an extent that many years' 

 research would be necessary to unravel the mystery of their specific 

 and varietal existences. The subject, he admits, is one of supreme 

 interest in view of success in cultivation. It is imperative to under- 

 stand their nature, their needs, and their aptitude for improvement. 

 All the varieties of the indigenous plant, he then adds, may be reduced 

 to three chief forms : 



(1) WDargua. This is the form most widely and abundantly indi- 

 cultivated, and is met with in the provinces of Sereres, Sine-Saloum, Q 

 Djoloff, Cayor and Oualo. It is called lado by the inhabitants of turn, 

 the Senegal valley. 



The young shoots and under surfaces of the leaves are covered 

 with a more or less abundant pubescence and prominently black- 

 dotted. The flowers are yellow with purplish throats. The seeds bear 

 a fuzz and an outer coat of short white coarse but strong wool. 



(2) Mokho. This is less cultivated, because of its low return. G. obtusi- 

 It is chiefly met with in Sereres province. Is a much smaller plant 



than the preceding, and has small 3-5-lobed leaves, the lobes being 

 obtuse and the shoots glabrous. The cotton is scanty, but very 

 white, fine and silky. When woven this particular staple is found 

 to dye readily, and is much preferred for textiles intended to be dyed 

 with indigo. It is known to the people of the river valley as rimo, 

 and is a late-ripening form, the harvest not commencing before 

 January and being continued till April. 



(3) N'Guine. Of all the forms of cotton met with in Senegambia G.purpur- 

 this is the least valued, because of the reddish colour of the wool. asc< 



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