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which, by reason of their altitude and their distance from 

 watercourses, cannot adopt the irrigation system in any of 

 its several forms on a large scale. These districts are situated 

 on the intermediate tableland to the south-west, and partly on 

 the low plain towards the rivers Gasc and Setit. The varieties 

 of cotton which can be grown there are those of quick growth 

 and those of the perennial lignified type. 



The second class of crops, which utilizes the waters from 

 inundations and, we may say, practically only these waters, 

 is to be found in those districts of the plain and of the eastern 

 intermediate tableland which are naturally inundated by the 

 watercourses, and which, with a suitable hydraulic system, 

 may be irrigated by inundation and with regard to which the 

 seasons coincide, as, for instance, the district of Barca and a 

 portion of the territory of Gasc and Setit. In this case, also, 

 the crops must be of quick growth. 



The districts of the eastern plain, namely, the littoral zone, 

 where there are rains in winter and two periods of inundation 

 in summer and in winter, may be used for growing crops of the 

 last type. The particular conditions of rains and inundations 

 make it possible to cultivate varieties of slower growth. 



The extension of cotton growing in Eritrea will depend on 

 a variety of conditions on a careful choice of the varieties, 

 on an accurate selection, and, where the cultivation must be 

 on irrigated land, on the execution of hydraulic works, in 

 addition to the solution of the difficult problem of labour. 

 Other questions are of great interest in connection with the 

 growing of cotton, and, amongst these, the important ques- 

 tions relating to a unity of type of production, the supply of 

 selected seed, the position to be given to cotton in the working 

 of the concern, the selling facilities and the transport. At 

 the present time cotton growing is not widely distributed over 

 the country. The natives grow cotton only by fits and starts, 

 and always on restricted areas. As a matter of fact, they 

 have nearly given up growing cotton by reason of the high 

 prices of dura. 



In addition to the natives, the growing of cotton is being- 

 carried on by an Italian Company in plantations situated in 

 various parts of the Colony; this Company, by its industrial 

 and commercial agencies, occupies itself also with the acquisi- 

 tion, the cleaning, and the export of the native crop. 



The PRESIDENT : I might remark with regard to Eritrea that 

 it is a Colony in which this country is to a certain extent 

 interested, as I believe there is one English syndicate engaged 

 in cotton growing there. This venture seems to have some 

 prospects of success. 



