COTTON IN BRITISH WEST AFRICA 87 



exported ; in 1843 tne exports amounted to about 

 3 1 tons. An effort was made to stimulate the industry 

 in 1862 when a ton of Egyptian cotton seed was for- 

 warded to the Colony and distributed to growers. 

 This trial resulted in 47 tons of cotton being purchased 

 from the natives. 



In 1 890 a further quantity of Egyptian cotton seed 

 was forwarded to the Colony. The plants raised from 

 this seed appear to have given good results. 



In 1902 the British Cotton Growing Association 

 directed their attention to the Gambia, and an 

 American cotton planter was engaged to make a tour 

 of the country and report on the prospects of the 

 cultivation. Supplies of American and Egyptian 

 seed were forwarded to the Colony and distributed 

 to the natives. A little later, an Experiment Farm 

 was started at Willinghara in the Upper River 

 District, and a study was commenced of the climatic 

 conditions in their relation to the growth of cotton, 

 and seed selection experiments were undertaken with 

 both native and imported varieties. 



During 1902, the Government purchased the seed- 

 cotton grown from imported seed at i\d. per lb., but 

 the natives were dissatisfied with the price, as there 

 was a local market for the product at 2d.-$d. per lb. 

 for making the " pagns " already mentioned. In the 

 following year, therefore, the Government purchased 

 the crop at 2d. per lb., but the payment of so high a 

 price for seed-cotton resulted in a considerable loss. 

 In 1905, the natives were offered only id. per lb. for 

 seed-cotton, and since they refused to sell at that price 

 the enterprise was abandoned. 



The amount of cotton exported from the Gambia 

 during 1901-1915 was as follows : 



Year. Quantity (lb.). Year. Quantity (lb.). 



I9OI 

 I9O2 

 1903 

 1904 

 1905 



4 8 



1 2O 



1,560 



59,828 



2,572 



1906 . . . 129 



1907-13 . . nil 



1914 . . . 126 



1915 nil 



The results of this endeavour have clearly demon- 

 7 



