MINAS GERAES 97 



3. — Crioula or Quebradinho, or Maranhao, or Miudo, is the third 

 variety ; it has a very small black seed with a sharp point, 

 absolutely bare of any hairs. It is a tree cotton, remaining three 

 and even five years in the soil. The fibre is very glossy, fine, 

 varying in length from 24 to 3omm. In the Pirapora zone it 

 does well, but along the Sao Francisco river the fibre does not 

 develop in length and people say that it is more subject to insect 

 attacks than any other kind. This seed is very similar to the 

 " Moco " seed of the Serido. It is, however, smaller. 

 The names of these cottons are constantly confused ; they 

 differ from one locality to another. 



4. — Sertanejo Arboreo is a tree cotton, 15 to 25mm. It is very 

 similar to Crioula. We found it only in Cordisburgo. 



The astonishing feature about cotton in Sao Paulo and Minas is 

 that one hardly ever sees a fibre that is not strong. 



As a rule all these cottons can be met with in one and the same 

 field and the majority of cultivators leave the shrubs growing for 

 several years, but there are some M'ho plant seed every year, in which 

 case the American herbaceous kind is used. 



Cotton in Minas is not generally cultivated on a large scale, but 

 only by small holders. Indian corn is mostly grown in the same 

 field ; it shoots up quickly and then the cotton plant is over-shadowed 

 and has not enough circulation of air. 



From the information given us we calculated that the average 

 yield per acre is about 1801b. lint, whilst in the Sao Francisco it may 

 be taken as 2201b., but these figures are not very reliable as it is too 

 difficult, in view of the many crops grown together; to obtain exact 

 information on this point. 



The land is prepared, in the more enlightened parts, with ploughs 

 from June to August, but generally only a hoe is used. According 

 to the first rainfall the seeds are planted between September and 

 November. Picking takes place in June ; generally there are two 

 pickings. No rotation of crop is followed. 



In each locality there is only one price for cotton, whether short 

 or long, dirty or clean. 



With the exception of the ginning factory of Mr. Trajano, S. V. 

 de Medeiros at Pirapora, all the ginning plants are miserable in- 

 stallations, generally 18 to 30 saw-blades constitute the machine. 

 They are all made by the American Eagle Company and are driven 

 mostly by oxen, the machinery being similar to the ancient Persian 

 water-wheel, viz., a huge wooden cog-wheel turned by the animal 

 works the shaft of the pulley from which a home-made leather strap 

 drives the gin. It is in Minas where we have seen the most 

 " inefficient " ginning. 



The future of Minas as a cotton producer for the markets of the 

 world lies a long way ahead. First the different types have to be 

 separated ; the people trained to better cultivation and to careful 

 picking and ginning of cotton. Great possibilities do exist, but they 

 are far from materialising in the near future. Meanwhile the means of 

 transportation have to be improved for at present a good deal of produce 



