31 



desirable for the circle officer to grow it on himself, for it may prove 

 pure, or nearly so, from the start, and, if it does, he^will at once be in a 

 position to establish an improved race, thus shortening the introductory 

 process. But he should, in all cases, advise the Botanical Section and 

 give the officers of that section free access to the crop so produced, 

 so that they may originate single plant cultures and thus establish a 

 pure stock showing the desirable characters. Bulk selection may give 

 a sufficient degree of purity, but more probably it will not. If it does 

 not the stock will shortly begin to show " deterioration," and by that 

 time the Botanical Section will have eliminated the impurities and 

 worked up a stock of pure seed which can be used to replace the less 

 pure seed which has begun to exhibit signs of deterioration. 



The history of the different types of Egyptian cotton which have 

 from time to time held the field indicates two facts : the frequent 

 spontaneous occurrence of new forms, and the presence in the country 

 of an efficient body of private individuals ever ready to seize on and 

 develop such new forms. The existence of this body is a valuable 

 asset to the country ; it is to the labours of the members of this body 

 that practically all the types of cotton at present under extended 

 cultivation owe their origin ; there is no reason for supposing that 

 their utility is ended. Their activities require encouragement, but, 

 while this is true, it is equally true that their uncontrolled activities 

 are not without danger to the crop as a whole. The wholesale 

 introduction of new varieties scattered throughout the country is 

 dangerous, for such introduction involves not only impurity and 

 " degeneration " of these but also of the existing crop, both by direct 

 cross-fertilization in the field and by seed mixture in the gins. Thus 

 the new race is endangered and its subsequent re-establishment, should 

 the new one prove undesirable, rendered a matter of doubt. 



The problem is to control the introduction of such new races 

 without removing the incentive to those working towards their 

 production. Now this incentive is the money value derived from the 

 sale of seed during the first few years after introduction. With a 

 name for superiority established and a limited seed supply, the price 

 paid for the available seed is high and remains high until extended 

 cultivation, with increased seed production, removes the main factor 

 from which the profit accrues.* I find that it has been proposed 



* I am aware that this statement does not appear to be in accord with the statement made on 

 page 28. The discrepancy is, however, hardly more than apparent. The essential fact is that, in 

 Egypt, the later stages of seed production are nowhere undertaken by the farmer himself. Enhanced 

 prices are realized for the seed of a new cotton which has obtained a name, but the purchaser of the 

 seed of that cotton expects to purchase sufficient to sow his entire area. The extra price he is pre- 

 pared to pay is limited to the profit he expects to realize directly from the crop he harvested. 

 Profits from new introductions are thus limited to the period when there is shortage of supply. 

 There is no continuity in the business such as will lead to the development of a seedsman's trade 

 dependent on a continuous financial return. 



