33 



of this nature, the slower method, necessitated by the precaution taken 

 to ensure purity, will, in all probability, develop a supply of pure seed 

 at the stage when the financial interest of the originator ceases. The 

 crop will then be relatively impure, and Ministerial action will take the 

 form, working through the licensed ginneries, of the replacement 

 of the impure by the pure seed. 



The difficulty which has been experienced in recent years both 

 with regard to Zagora and Pelion cottons is traceable to absence of 

 early knowledge of their existence. The result has been a hesitation 

 in the matter of licensing which cannot but have disheartened the 

 originator of these. If steps are now taken 'to procure early informa- 

 tion, together with the other facilities to which reference has been made, 

 the difficulties which have arisen in the past should no longer be felt. 



X. 



In the preceding sections I have reviewed the problem as presented 

 at the present time, and it remains for me to extract from that review, 

 in the form of definite proposals, the salient features of a policy which 

 will lead to " the maintenance and improvement of the quality of 

 Egyptian cotton and the increase of its yield." These proposals fall 

 naturally into two sections, the practical or technical, defining the 

 foundations for such maintenance and improvement, and the administra- 

 tive, designed to develop those improvements. I omit here any 

 proposals for the establishment of those foundations. That is a purely 

 scientific question, and this report is not the place for a purely scientific 

 dissertation. I have, however, not neglected this matter, and have 

 devoted much time to discussing with the officers concerned the lines 

 of investigation which require to be taken up with this object in view. 



The central fact with regard to the cotton crop, from the former 

 aspect, is that it falls into two groups. The one possesses an intrinsic 

 value, that is, meets a particular need for certain definite physical 

 qualities. The trade requires these qualities in the cotton in order to 

 develop certain qualities in the yarn. Substitution is, in this case, 

 impossible. The second requires no such definite qualities. The only 

 cotton at the present time that falls into the former class is Sakel. 

 It is true that Sakel is used for many purposes, not all of which require 

 those intrinsic qualities that it alone possesses, but there is a definite 

 trade of which Sakel alone satisfies the requirements. What pro- 

 portion of the present production of Sakel goes to meet the requirements 

 of that trade I am unable to say, but, until some other cotton which 

 also possesses these qualities is forthcoming, a certain area, not 

 necessarily, nor even probably, approaching the present area under 

 Sakel, must be maintained. 



