8 4 



whiter, and silkier character and which would give at least 30 

 per cent, of lint. 



The great difficulty in West Africa was transport, and largely 

 in consequence of representations from the Association the 

 Lagos Railway was extended to the Niger and a line con- 

 structed from Baro to Kano. 



The experiments in Gambia and Sierra Leone were given up 

 and only poor results were obtained in the Gold Coast Colony. 

 The best results have been obtained in Nigeria, where the crop 

 amounts to 16,000 bales per annum. The cotton is worth about 

 Jd. to Jd. per pound more than Middling American. The 

 Association has established a standard bale of 400 lb., and its 

 ginning and baling factories are probably the best equipped 

 saw-ginning factories in the world. 



Uganda. Better results have been obtained in Uganda than 

 in any other colony; the Association has no branches there, 

 but works through its agents, the British East Africa Corpora- 

 tion. Various varieties of seed were indiscriminately distri- 

 buted and the cotton was much mixed and also liable to stains. 

 There was no properly equipped Agricultural Department, and 

 in consequence of representations from the Association experts 

 were appointed and the quality was much improved. The 

 Association assists in financing and selling the crop and also 

 supplies machinery, etc., on easy terms of payment. It is 

 constantly in communication with the Colonial Office with 

 reference to various points in connection with cotton, such as 

 transport facilities, cotton rules, varieties of cotton, buying 

 prices, etc. 



The production in Uganda has increased from 500 bales in 

 1906, to 29,000 bales in 1912. In 1913, owing to a misunder- 

 standing about the issue of seed, the crop was only 26,000 bales. 

 The quality is rather better than Texas and fetches from Jd. to 

 ijd. per pound over Middling American. 



Cotton growing in Uganda also is solely a native industry, 

 and there are no plantations owned and managed by Europeans. 



Nyasaland. The cotton industry in Nyasaland commenced 

 on plantations belonging to Europeans, who received large 

 financial assistance from the Association. Transport difficulties 

 were very serious, and the Association and its friends assisted 

 in raising the necessary capital for the railway from the 

 Zambesi to Port Herald. In 1910 the Association established 

 its own branches, and since then cotton growing as a native 

 industry has rapidly advanced. The crop in 1912 amounted to 

 6,800 bales. The cotton, though not long in staple, is very 

 fine and silky, and is worth from id. to 2jd. per pound over 

 Midding American. Nyasaland seed has given good results in 

 other colonies. 



