TO COTTON PRODUCTION 



junction with wool. It meets with a ready demand 

 in all wool manufacturing countries, and especially 

 in the United Kingdom. The cotton is of good length, 

 viz. about i J i J inches, and has an average diameter 

 of about 0*00078 inch. 



BRAZIL AND BRAZILIAN VARIETIES 



Although there is a very extensive area in Brazil 

 which is admirably adapted to cotton cultivation, 

 the crop is at present chiefly grown in the valley of 

 the San Francisco River. The industry has only 

 attained large proportions during the last forty or 

 fifty years. The production amounted to about 

 100 million Ib. in 1870, and was estimated in 1911 

 at about 150 million Ib. ; in 1912, 169 million Ib. ; 

 and in 1 9 1 3 , 2 1 3 million Ib . A large proportion of the 

 crop is used in the cotton mills of the country. The 

 cotton is generally detached from the seed by means 

 of roller-gins. It is baled by crude hand-presses, 

 and the cotton is therefore comparatively loosely 

 packed, the bales weighing on the average only about 

 250 Ib. each. The Brazilian cottons are known in 

 commerce by the names of the ports from which they 

 are shipped or by that of the province in which they 

 are produced, as, for example, Maranham, Maceio, 

 Paraiba, Ceara, and Pernam (an abbreviation for 

 Pernambuco). Both herbaceous and arborescent 

 forms are grown. The former are cultivated either 

 as annuals or biennials whilst the latter continue 

 to bear for eight years or. more. The herbaceous 

 cottons give a larger crop than the arborescent kinds 

 but the latter produce a longer fibre. 



In general, Brazilian cotton is white, harsh and 

 wiry in character, of medium strength, from i inch 

 to 1*4 inches long, and about 0*00080 inch in diameter. 



During recent years, Sea Island, American Upland 

 .and Egyptian varieties have been introduced into 

 Brazil, and have already become acclimatised. 



Cotton is also cultivated to some extent in many 



