GENERAL COTTON REMARKS 55 



ment of cotton. When cotton is a success in these parts, the 

 resources of the States are also plentiful, as the revenue is a fixed rate 

 on the value of cotton exported. 



As to Sao Paulo, I hold the view that an extension there is bound 

 to come, because cotton has been grown of late between the rows of 

 the huge coffee plantations, and the old established coffee planta- 

 tions are giving such low yields that unless artificial manuring is 

 resorted to it will not be sufficiently remunerative to continue them, 

 (See later chapter on Coffee.) The soil is exhausted after growing 

 trees on the same spot for 40 and 50 years. Artificial manure 

 is very costly and when a planter has to deal with a hundred 

 thousand of trees (which is quite a common occurrence), it 

 becomes difficult, if not imj^ossible, to apply manures. Is it 

 not natural that the coffee planter will give cotton a trial as 

 an alternative crop, especially as practically all his labourers 

 have had some experience in cotton growing ? Should the frost again 

 cut down the coffee trees, as was done in 1918,* we shall cer- 

 tainly see a huge increase of the cotton acreage of Sao Paulo. The 

 low prices of cotton have had a deterring influence, but when Sao 

 Paulo merchants begin to grade cotton, as is done in the North, 

 they will be able to obtain higher prices for their commodity. Another 

 reason why cotton stands a good chance in the South is that coffee 

 requires many more labourers than cotton and the labour question 

 is an acute problem as far as coffee is concerned. 



" Alagoas " and " Sergipe," though not so far producing a longer 

 fibre than about lin. have the great advantage that these annual 

 American Uplands require there only three months from the time of 

 planting to picking. I am informed by the chief of the Brazilian 

 Cotton Department that in Maranhao (where I have not ])een, so 

 far), this period is reduced by half, i.e., in 1| months from planting 

 the cotton can be gathered. There is no other country in the world 

 where in so short a period cotton can be grown. 



The State of "Bahia " is at present producing a small quantity, 

 which should, however, be enough and of sufficiently good quality to 

 provide the cotton mills existing there without recourse to the im- 

 portation of cotton from the other States. 



" Minas Geraes " is too far away from the ports — the steamer 

 and railway freights, under the present conditions, make it impossible 

 for this cotton to compete with others from nearer the coast. Minas 

 cotton will have to be used exclusively by the mills established in that 

 State and by the local hand spinners until better means of com- 

 munication are established. It is ciuite a good cotton of about lin. 

 and more in some places. 



There is no need for me to speak as to the suitability of climate 

 and soil ; the yields, which will be mentioned in detail in later chapters 

 prov^e up to the hilt that these conditions are absolutely right. I 

 may mention that generally there are decided periods of rain and dry 

 weather. It is during the dry weather that the picking takes place. 



Particulars of rainfall and temperature are stated in the chapter 

 on Geography. 



♦Severe frost comes periodically, but never whilst cotton is on the trees. 



