114 BRAZILIAN COTTON 



" Inteiro " is cultivated ; in the first year it yields 16 arrobas, 

 in the second year half that quantity and in the third only about 6. 

 The farmer had not pruned his trees, consequently only very few new 

 branches had formed. 



At this place we first became acquainted with " Verdrlo " cotton 

 which gives an excellent fibre. In this district it measured from 

 30 to 34mm. It is a cotton which is said to have been introduced 

 some four years ago from Pernambuco. Its outstanding feature is its 

 silkiness and in every case it is strong ; it has large bolls and is easily 

 picked. From here upwards to the north this cotton is met with 

 under various names. Of course, it is mixed with other kinds. Efforts 

 should be made to get this cotton pure. It has a very promising 

 future ; especially the strength and silkiness appealed to us and the 

 farmers generally agree that it is a heavy yielder. The seed of this 

 cotton is very easily recognised as it is large and covered with green 

 (sometimes blueish-green) hairs, for which reason it is also known 

 as " green seed " or '' blue seed " (" verde," " Azul," " azulao," etc). 

 It is called in some places " riqueza," meaning " wealth," then again 

 " rompe-letras," equal to " debt-payer," which are significant names. 



Verdao in these parts remains two to three years in the ground, 

 but farther north it grows for five or six years. 



A gin with 35 saws and a kerosene engine is in the village. We 

 saw some bales of 60 kilos cotton that had come from Piauhy, Sao 

 Raymundo ; it had 30mm. and was ginned there. One mule takes 

 two bales (a bale in the north is called " mala ") ; the journey is 

 18 leguas = 110km. and costs 10$000 per mule load. 



There are 1,300 bales of this cotton in the town, waiting for a 

 higher price. 



Casa Nova : 75 kilos from Joazeiro, 1,294 kilos from Pirapora. 



Hand saw gin with 20 saws. Screw bale press. Cotton in the 

 store all mixed : Herbaceo, Inteiro, Quebradinho and Verdao. 



Verdao had a fine glossy fibre, about 30 to 32mm., seed large, 

 verdigris colour. A farmer who had made his own experiments with 

 this cotton said that it was a marvellous yielder, bearing bolls right 

 from the bottom. Sometimes the cotton was ripe 3 months after 

 sowing, but in other districts it takes twice as long. The plants are 

 left three years in the soil without pruning. 



JOAZEIRO : 



There is a ginning factory with 30 saws ; some blades had a num- 

 ber of teeth broken out. " Verdao " cotton is liked, but hammock 

 makers prefer the " Inteiro " cotton and pay a considerable premium 

 for it. Ginners will not trouble to separate the " Inteiro " seed 

 cotton, a work that could be performed by a child. Though they would 

 get a higher price, they do not trouble. 



Three varieties are known here : " Herbaceo," amongst which 

 they include " Verdao " and all shrub plants ; " Inteiro " (known 

 here as " Creoula ") and " Quebradinho." There was a very 

 large amount of dead fibres amongst the cotton pile in the gin, not 

 so many leaves. 



