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of the work carried out under native overseers, in order 

 to minimize any possibility of this choice seed becoming 

 mixed with native varieties. The whole of the resulting 

 crop will be purchased at an enhanced price, warranted 

 by the superior quality of the staple. The seed will thus 

 become available for redistribution. Should these im- 

 proved varieties continue to give satisfactory returns 

 (which becomes increasingly likely as they become 

 acclimatized the more perfectly to their new environment) 

 their popularity will soon become so well established that 

 they will ultimately replace the indigenous species. 



All that can be expected of a Government cotton-seed 

 farm is to introduce and test improved varieties. The 

 subsequent propagation of the selected variety must 

 always be done with the co-operation of a group of 

 cultivators, the area cultivated extending annually from 

 the centre as the supply of seed becomes available in 

 larger quantities. This system has been proved again 

 and again, not only in America, but more recently in 

 India, Egypt, Uganda, and Nyasaland. 



While thus endeavouring to improve the quality of the 

 cotton of Nigeria as well as the yield per acre, the import- 

 ance of reducing the cost of production by more up-to- 

 date methods of cultivation is not being lost sight of. At 

 present practically the whole of the arable land of Nigeria 

 is turned over by hand; but on the Zaria farm last year 

 a start was made in the use of implements by employing 

 cultivators drawn by cattle to work the land under cotton. 

 It is intended during the coming season greatly to extend 

 this work, and if possible to induce natives to cultivate 

 their own land by similar means, thus enabling them to 

 employ their time to greater advantage than hitherto. 



By this means alone the agricultural wealth of the 

 community is capable of enormous expansion. 



