COTTON IN BRITISH WEST AFRICA 85 



and a mixture of cotton seed with that of various 

 food crops, such as sesame, <( okra " (Hibiscus escu- 

 lentus), and rice, is sown broadcast. The cotton 

 plants are usually allowed to remain in the ground 

 for two or three years and sometimes attain a height 

 of 10 feet. 



Attention was drawn to Sierra Leone as a promising 

 country for cotton growing in 1 890, when a supply of 

 Egyptian seed was forwarded for experimental trial. 

 The results of this experiment however do not appear 

 to have been successful. 



In 1 902, 'the British Cotton Growing Association 

 commenced operations in Sierra Leone by sending 

 out an American cotton expert to carry out experi- 

 ments with the object of improving the quality of 

 the cotton grown, and also to endeavour to persuade 

 the natives to grow cotton for export. An offer was 

 made of id. per Ib. for all the seed-cotton brought in 

 for sale. American and Egyptian seed was dis- 

 tributed among the chiefs in the Protectorate, but the 

 results were unsatisfactory. The Government at- 

 tempted to encourage the industry by carrying 

 machinery or implements for the cotton plantations 

 and consignments of cotton for export free of charge 

 on the Government Railway. 



In 1904, the British Cotton Growing Association 

 leased from one of the chiefs a large area of land, 

 adjacent to the Railway at Moyamba in the Ronietta 

 district of the Protectorate, and established an 

 experime. tal plantation. The crop for that year was 

 very disappointing owing to unfavourable weather, 

 the rainfall amounting to more than 100 inches. The 

 quantity of cotton exported amounted to about 

 13 tons. 



In 1905, an area of 1,030 acres was cultivated at 

 Moyamba, a large part of which was devoted to 

 experiments with seed of imported varieties in order 

 to discover the kind best adapted to the country. 

 The most favourable results however were obtained 

 with the native " Quondi " variety which furnishes 

 cotton of a pale cream colour and about i inch long. 

 A ginning station was erected, but owing to a 



