130 BRAZILIAN COTTON 



should have some roller gins. There is no difference made in the speed 

 of the gins whether the cotton is long or short. Long cotton, if ginned 

 by saws, should be ginned slowly. 



Barao do Rio Branco : 



There are four gins and a press exactly as at Limoeira, belonging 

 to the " Sociedade Algodoeira do Nordeste Brazileiro," whose head 

 offices are at Recife, Pernambuco. The Rio Branco gin handles 28,000 

 bales of seed cotton of 75 kilos per year. They state that two- 

 thirds of their cotton comes from over the frontier, from Parahyba, 

 and only one-third from Pernambuco. Ginned cotton is sent to Rio 

 Branco from a distance of 60 to 70 leguas (1 legua=5km.) and un- 

 ginned cotton from 10 to 12 leguas away. 



The " Verdao '" cotton is here again the largest yielder, strong 

 and silky. The usual mixture exists in the field. 



Annual cotton is planted in February — March and as it 

 matures within six months the cultivators j^refer it to the tree cottons. 



Annual cotton is mostly planted at "Pedra," "Buique'^ 

 and "Aguas Bellas." The pink boll- worm is still attacking the- 

 " herbaceous " cotton here. 



The ginning outturn is stated to be 26 per cent. 



There are sufficient workers to be had at 2 $000 per day. 



Seed cotton is sold here on the basis of 20 kilos = 1 arroba, whilst 

 lint cotton is sold at 15 kilos = 1 arroba. 



In this district a difference is made between clean and dirty 

 cotton. The prices were 6. $000, 5 $000 and 4 $000 per 20 kilos 

 according to the state of cleanliness. 



Indian corn and beans are sown in the same field, along with cotton. 



At Alagoa do Baixo we M'ere shown what is supposed to be 

 " Caravonica " cotton. It seemed hj^bridised with " Verdao " and 

 the fibre had probably obtained its silkiness from the latter. The- 

 length was 40mm. but weak and the field was not pure. 



" Verdao " was again described as the best. In this district 

 what is locally termed " herbaceo "' cotton is grown as an annual 

 plant. 



The transport expenses on muleback for two bales of 80 kilos to 

 Barao do Rio Branco (the terminus of the railway) are 5 $000. 

 This rate varies according to the chances of having return freight, and 

 it is very high when the country is suffering from a drought. It has 

 been as"^low as 4 $000 but also^as high as 11 $000. The distance to 

 Rio Branco is 60km. 



At Alagoa do Baixo is a gin with 50 saws which are sharpened 

 from two to four times a year. 



Cotton fields are now much more frequent and as we proceed north 

 the crop is in a more advanced state. 



All the fields are enclosed with a wicker-work wattle-fence, the 

 cost of which is here estimated to be 1 $000 per metre. 



" Moco " cotton begins to be grown here. The flowers are almost, 

 caiarv-coloured and the bolls are small. 



