28 3 



It is evidenced by American experiments with Egyptian cottons 

 in Arizona, and by the very successful mill tests of Mr. Balls's 

 four pure strains, of which details are given. 



Purity of strain should be the principal objective of all 

 cotton growers. 



It is suggested in the paper that arrangements ought to be 

 made either at the Imperial Institute or in Manchester, perhaps 

 preferably in Manchester, so that small quantities of cotton can 

 be practically tested under conditions resembling those of an 

 ordinary mill. In experienced hands a trustworthy test can 

 be made with a pound weight of cotton or even less. If some 

 such practical testing were regularly available it would greatly 

 assist the scientific breeders and laboratory workers in cotton- 

 growing countries, because they would not only be able to 

 send small samples to be submitted to the test, but they would 

 also be 'enabled to bring their laboratory experiments on single 

 bolls and single fibres into closer relation with mill practice 

 than is now possible. 



[DISCUSSION.] 



The CHAIRMAN : Will any gentleman make any observations 

 on the papers which have been read ? 



M. E. LEPLAE (Director-General of Agriculture, Colonial 

 Office, Belgium) : My Lord I have listened with much interest 

 to the details given by Mr. McCall regarding his cotton- 

 selecting experiments in Nyasaland. I understand that the 

 Nyasaland cotton is really an American Upland cotton, and it 

 seems that the cotton grown in Uganda is an American Upland 

 cotton also the Black Rattler, if I am right. Now we have 

 been reading all that has been published on introducing cotton 

 into Central Africa, and I would like to ask Mr. McCall if I 

 am right in coming to this conclusion that no other cotton 

 than American Upland cotton has ever been a success in Cen- 

 tral African Colonies. I believe that until now only American 

 cotton has been successfully grown in Central African 

 Colonies, and it would be very useful for us to know if that is 

 correct. (Mr. McCALL : That is the case.) We are now 

 trying cotton in the Congo under an American expert; he is 

 doing very good work there, but it will be useful to know in 

 what direction we shall have to work. 



Mr. J. PERCIVAL : My Lord and Gentlemen I should like 

 to emphasize some of the remarks which Mr. McCall has 

 made in his very valuable paper to-day. I have been closely 

 associated with him in the selection experiments which he has 

 been carrying out in Nyasaland, and I must say the success 



