COTTON GROWING IN NYASALAND 93 



conditions for the industry. The exports have rapidly 

 increased and in 1912 they amounted to 4,139,513 lb. 

 of value 105, 5 1 2, and in 1913 to 4, 8 28,96410. of value 

 120,753. 



NYASALAND PROTECTORATE 



Cotton growing was introduced into Nyasaland in 

 1903. Unfortunately, just as in the case of Uganda, 

 a large number of different varieties were planted 

 with the result that considerable confusion occurred, 

 owing to hybridisation and the mixing of the seed. 

 Subsequently all the varieties were discarded with 

 the exception of Egyptian kinds, which are now con- 

 fined to the warmer districts of the Lower River, and 

 long-stapled American Upland forms, which are 

 cultivated on the higher lands. As a rule, Egyptian 

 cottons are grown in Nyasaland at elevations below 

 2,000 feet, and American Upland kinds from 2,000 

 to 4,000 feet. Considerable attention has been given 

 to the industry by the Agricultural Department, 

 and an excellent long-stapled American Upland form 

 has been acclimatised, which is known as " Nyasaland 

 Upland " and is valued in Liverpool at about 2d. 

 per lb. in advance of " middling " American. The 

 area devoted to the crop by European planters during 

 the season 1913-14 amounted to 25,697 acres, of 

 which 1 60 acres were planted with Egyptian cotton 

 and the remainder with the Nyasaland Upland 

 variety. A large and gradually increasing quantity 

 of cotton is also grown by the natives. 



The development of the industry is hindered by the 

 lack of transport facilities. The only railway at 

 present in existence runs from Blantyre to Port 

 Herald on the Shire River, where the cotton has to be 

 conveyed on barges to the Zambesi River, and thence 

 down the latter river to Chinde on the coast of 

 Portuguese East Africa. At Chinde the cotton has 

 to be transferred to other barges which carry it to 

 Beira, whence it is shipped to Liverpool. A railway 

 from Port Herald to the Zambesi is now nearly com- 

 pleted, and negotiations are in progress for the con- 



