386 SOUTHERN FIELD CROPS 



of Indian fiber is possible. Moreover, even a cotton with 

 very short staple, as that of India, is indirectly in competi- 

 tion with ordinary American cotton ; for, being cheaper, it 

 is used for many purposes where a staple of greater length 

 could be employed. In 1910 (as a result of a short Ameri- 

 can crop, with consequent high prices) a small amount of 

 Indian cotton was imported by American mills. 



(4) In Egypt the government is extending the irriga- 

 tion system, thus increasing the area of cultivated land, 

 and making possible even larger yields per acre by reason 

 of more frequent irrigation. However, Egyptian cotton 

 is not directly in competition with American short staple. 



On the other hand, among the facts which suggest the 

 freedom of the American producer from serious rivalry by 

 the foreign cotton grower are the following : 



(1) Stimulated by the high prices of cotton prevailing 

 during and just after the Civil War, great efforts were 

 made in numerous foreign countries to stimulate the pro- 

 duction of cotton. As a rule these attempts were unsuc- 

 cessful. 



(2) The southern part of the United States is believed 

 to be the only very large area of country having climatic 

 conditions throughout its entire extent exactly suited to 

 the cotton plant. 



(3) India, the second in rank among cotton countries, 

 produces chiefly a staple shorter than the American, and 

 hence not generally used by the same mills. 



(4) The cultivated part of Egypt is a country of limited 

 area; moreover, the staple produced is longer than the 

 staple of the bulk of the American crop, and hence is used 

 in different mills and for different purposes. 



