SAO PAULO 



87 



6 " alqueires " gave SOOlbs. lint per acre. These yields are on coffee 

 ground where the coffee plants are small and there is therefore room 

 for cotton between the rows of coffee trees ; the yields would there- 

 fore be much larger had the whole field been given up to cotton. Mr. 

 Clark, the managing director, considers that over his whole estate the 

 cotton crop is 250 arrobas=5001bs. lint per acre, where cotton is grown 

 as a "catch-crop," being of secondary importance to coffee and 

 Indian corn. In some fields we saw cotton, corn, beans and coffee 

 all growing mixed together. It must be remembered that India 

 gives as on an average not a lOOlbs. ; the U.S.A. 2201bs. (when an 

 acre in the Mississippi exceptionally yields 5001bs. lint it is a very rare 

 occasion). Egypt's yield has gone down to 350lbs. ; in 1920-21 it will 

 not be more than 2701bs. In the latter two countries much more 

 labour is bestowed on the cultivation than in Sao Paulo and cotton 

 occupies the field alone. 



The cost of clearing the land, burning down forests, and getting 

 it ready for cultivation is here estimated to be 200 milreis per 

 " alqueire " ; this work is generally carried out by natives from the 

 State of Bahia who have specialised in it for many years. 



The Clearing of the Forests at Blrlguy 



The settlers build their own houses, using the wood of the trees 

 they have felled ; there is a saw-mill at the station. Some use nothing 

 but bamboo and clay. The cost of a small dwelling of a primitive 

 kind is 700 milreis. {See illustration, p. 88.) 



The method of cultivation is a rough-and-ready one as described 

 in the early part of this chapter. 



There were two ginneries working at Biriguy and shortly the 

 number will be increased to four. The charge for ginning and baling 

 was high, namely, 3 $200 reis per 15 kilos. The bale press Mas a 

 primitive screw press {see p. 101). The cotton varied in length, even 

 in one field. It would be a great advantage if a uniform supply of 



