PREFACE 



AMONG the industrial problems arising from the war, 

 one of the most important is that of the future of 

 our textile industries, especially in relation to the 

 sources from which they derive their raw materials 

 and the possibility of drawing these to a larger extent 

 than was the case before the war from countries 

 within the Empire. 



The subject is one that has engaged the close 

 attention of the Imperial Institute for many years, 

 during which it has investigated the possibilities of 

 fibre production in all those British countries which 

 seem to present chances of success. The Institute 

 has given assistance, through experimental investi- 

 gations conducted in its laboratories and through 

 the supply of technical information, to Governments 

 of the countries concerned, to producers overseas 

 and to merchants and manufacturers at home. A 

 very large amount of information has been collected 

 on questions connected with the experimental pro- 

 duction and value of fibres in various countries, 

 much of which has been published in the " Bulletin 

 of the Imperial Institute " and in special reports. 

 In connection with cotton cultivation especially 

 the work of the Imperial Institute has been con- 

 tinuous and has been conducted in intimate association 

 with experimental cultivation overseas, and with the 

 operations of the British Cotton Growing Association. 

 In these subjects of cotton cultivation alone the In- 

 stitute has issued a large number of special reports. 



The increased attention which must shortly be 

 given to extending these sources of supply of cotton 

 and other industrial fibres rendered it desirable that 

 a general summary should be published of the posi- 

 tion and prospects of the world's production and 

 utilisation of fibres, and it has been therefore decided 

 to issue the present volume in the Imperial Institute 

 series of Handbooks to the Commercial Resources 

 of the Tropics. Its preparation has been entrusted 

 to Dr. Ernest Goulding, who for many years has been 



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