80 BRAZILIAN COTTON 



Our first visit was to Villa Americana wliere we inspected the 

 " Fazenda Salto Giande " belonging to Messrs. Rawlinson, Miiller 

 & Co., of Carioba. 



The management of this plantation is in the very capable hands 

 of an Italian, Mr. F. Fornazaro, who knows his work and maintains 

 excellent discipline. 



The extent of the "fazenda" is 1,100 alqueires (0,160 acres) 

 1,500 of which are under cultivation. It was bought by the present 

 owners in 1907, principally as it included a waterfall which they have 

 utilised for driving their cotton mill at Carioba. The purchase price 

 was then only 170 contos ; 1,700 h.p. are generated by the fall, but 

 there is energy for another 1,200 h.p. ; the cost of the hydro-electric 

 plant was 300 contos. Current is supplied for the driving of the mill 

 and the lighting of several towns and villages. 



The property is situated at an altitude of about 450 meters. 



Of the 1,500 acres under cultivation half are given up to cotton ; 

 various American kinds, such as "Russell Big Boll," "Sunbeam," 

 etc., are grown. The manager has created various crosses, one 

 especially, called "Carioba," is between "Webber" and "Russell 

 Big Boll," and has turned out so well that they can use it at the mill 

 of Mr. H. Th. Miiller for spinning high counts up to 60"s. It has 

 IfViii- staple ; its yield is 6001bs. lint per acre. The average yield 

 of the whole plantation works out to 3601bs. per acre. 



This is the first and only plantation which we visited in Brazil 

 where real scientific plant selection, and even an attempt at scientific 

 seed breeding was made ; others have the intention of doing 

 the same work, but here it is actually done by a practical farmer. 

 Russell Big Boll has been increased in length by several millimetres 

 through plant selection. " Novo Paulista," another cross of the 

 manager, measures fully 30mm. and is very silky and strong. Care 

 is being taken to prevent cross fertilisation by keejDing the fields of the 

 different kinds sufficiently far apart and in the ginning strict super- 

 vision is kept that no mixing takes place. 



Rotation of crops is adhered to ; generally Indian corn, then cotton 

 and three years' sugar cane are grown. (Sugar cane as a rotation 

 crop with cotton is not used in other countries.) 



When the cotton is being picked cotton sheets are spread out 

 at the side of the field ; each sheet is numbered and each picker has 

 to deposit his cotton on the special sheet corresponding to his own 

 number. If anyone does not pick clean the foreman can at once 

 trace who is picking carelessly, in which case a reduction in the 

 picking wage is made. {See illustration, p. 78.) 



On the estate are sixty families, each of which has three hectares ; 

 they work on the share system, keeping the proceeds of two-thirds for 

 themselves and one-third goes to the company. The tenant is 

 debited with two-thirds of the cost of manure : money is advanced 

 for implements, manure, etc. The tenants must conform to the 

 instructions of the manager as regards the cultivation of the plot. 

 The manager has further the call on the tenant when he requires 

 labourers for the land of the company, where he raises special cottons ; 



