13 



the period of the main cotton harvest and the season of the maximum 

 development of the pest. This may be effected from the plant side, 

 and a beginning has already been made to stimulate early ripening. 

 It remains, however, to investigate the possibilities of evolving early 

 maturing types. 



The second problem is mainly physical, but here, again, comes 

 back ultimately to the plant, its water requirement, and the depth 

 to which the root penetrates. In all its bearings the field of investiga- 

 tion is a wide one and the fringe has, as yet, only been touched. Apart 

 from the purely physical aspect, there is a large opening for physiological 

 investigation. 



Such problems as have been outlined in the last few paragraphs 

 are mainly directed towards increasing the value of the yield units 



x, y, z, There remains the question of the price units 



a, b, c, Evidence is accumulating to show that the quality 



of a cotton is directly affected by the conditions under which the 

 plant which produces it is grown. It is no doubt true that, under 

 the normal conditions of cultivation, these conditions are sufficiently 

 uniform, and that even the extreme conditions here found diverge 

 so little from the normal that the quality of the cotton is barely 

 affected. Nevertheless, it is not without importance to determine 

 the point at which such effect is begun to be felt and to ascertain 

 which are the chief environmental conditions concerned in producing 

 the effect noted. The importance of the possession of such knowledge 

 is emphasized if, as seems probable, cultural control aimed at the 

 development of early maturing is to be adopted. The investigations 

 here referred to cover a wide field of pure physiological research. 



III. 



In the above review I have attempted to bring into prominence 

 the salient features of the Egyptian cotton problem. The subject 

 is ,a wide one and touches at many points on several of the commonly 

 accepted divisions of science. I may now attempt to collect these 

 into some systematic scheme which will serve as a foundation on 

 which to build the organization which will be required to attack the 

 problem successfully, and as an indication of the staff and equipment 

 which will be required for this attack. It will perhaps be objected 

 that no mention has here been made of the commercial aspect which 

 is concerned with the disposal of the crop. While recognizing the 

 importance of this aspect to the country generally, I do not hold 

 that it falls within the sphere of a Ministry of Agriculture as such. 

 The primary work of that Ministry is completed when it has pointed 

 the way to obtain the maximum yield of pure cottons, and it is only 

 directly concerned with the subsequent disposal of the produce in as 



