82 BRAZILIAN COTTON 



The manager at this plantation had only recently taken up 

 cotton cultivation. There were 50 " alqueires "' under cotton, Russell 

 Big Boll. The field was not as clear of other kinds, and afterwards 

 at the ginnery we could see that about 20 per cent, of the seed was 

 of a different type, being almost naked, whilst Big Boll is a covered 

 seed. This of course, accounted for the lack of uniformity of fibre. 



There are on the plantation 400,000 coffee trees which seemed 

 in good condition, the branches being heavily laden with the coffee- 

 cherries. The ground underneath the trees was kept clear of weeds. 



Adjoining the coffee estate is another farm of 200 hectares, part 

 of which is " terra roxa " soil, where cotton is grown by a small 

 colony of tenants. Mr. Sampaio Vidal had the idea of selling this 

 land for a cotton seed farm. This farm is 550 metres above sea 

 level. 



We spent a few days on the Coffee Fazenda " Santa Gertrude.s," 

 belonging to Count Prates, not very far from the last place. 



When a few years ago (1918) a severe frost damaged a large 

 portion of the coffee plantations, most trees were cut down, killing 

 many and withering the rest up to the roots, the coffee planters 

 having sufficient space between the rows of their coffee trees, planted 

 a good deal of cotton. The coffee trees have recovered and the young 

 trees grown up, consequently there is now not sufficient space for 

 growing cotton everywhere. In young plantations however, there is 

 sufficient room and some planters continue to grow cotton even in the 

 crowded spaces along the rows of fully developed coffee trees. 



Count Prates was very satisfied with the cotton his tenants grew 

 for him. There are altogether over 900,000 coffee trees on this estate, 

 the value of each is placed as between 2 to 3 milreis. 



Cotton is planted between some of the rows of coffee trees, amongst 

 others Indian corn and beans, the latter the staple food of the 

 Brazilians. 



Cotton cultivation by the big coffee planters is undertaken on 

 many estates. Latterly, however, the low price of cotton has been a 

 cause for the reduction of cotton acreage. The lack of proper seed 

 distribution is responsible for the absence of uniformity of fibre, the 

 cotton raised is about an inch in length and quite serviceable, but 

 generally not sufficient care is taken in the picking. About 10 per 

 cent, of the seed in the ginnery of Conde Prates was a different kind 

 from the main crop, viz., Russell Big Boll. No plant selection is being 

 undertaken. 



In this part of the state is situated the " Instituto Agronomico " 

 of Campinas, the director of which is a Frenchman. Dr. J. J. Arthaud 

 Berthet ; his agricultural manager is a German, a Mr. Hermann, and 

 it deserves to be said to their credit that both have been able to work 

 together right through the war. 



This is a scientific institute, probably the only one, where on 

 behalf of the Government, cotton plant selection and breeding has 

 so far been carried on. No doubt the new Government cotton farms 

 of the Cotton Department will carry on similar work in the future 

 in all parts of the country. 



