TREE COTTONS 145 



Our next stop was at the Fazenda Fortuna, 140 metres above 

 sea-level. This is the first spot where we find strong Moco cotton ; 

 Verdao does not do well, but a variety which looked as if it might be a 

 hybrid between the Inteiro crossed with Moco, was good, being 38 to 

 40mm. and strong. Moco gives the best yield out of the mixture of 

 Herbaceous, Verdao and afore-mentioned hybrid. 



At Uruguay ANA Moco was not as good as in the last place. We 

 halted at Augusto Severo, 130 metres above sea-level ; this town was 

 known as " Campo Grande " and before that as " Triumpho." There 

 are 7 ginning factories in the township each with hand-presses ; half 

 the cotton is sent to Lages and half to Mossoro, to the former town 

 the rate for a mule-load is 12 milreis, to the latter 6 to 8. 2,000 bales 

 are handled annually. The price of cotton in Augusto Severo was 

 2 $500 for 16 kilos seed cotton, ginning out-turn 33 per cent. 



In CoLONiA the farmer was in the habit of separating the seed 

 for planting purposes ; the same is done by the owner of Cachoeira. 



At Sao Antonio where we see the first " agude," a reservoir 

 6km. long and 1km. wide, Verdao and Herbaceous do well in land 

 subject to flood. They plant in June — July and within four months 

 the crop is ready. The intention is to raise the dam of the " aQude " 

 by six metres which would enable 500 hectares to be irrigated twice a 

 month. 



The Verdao in the district measured 35mm. and some Moco cotton 

 reached 37mm. It was strong cotton. 



We passed on our way " Maracanahu," " Amazonas, Mulungu 

 (Parahyba), " Catingueira." Moco is mostly 35mm., at times 42mm. 

 Herbaceous is only 22mm. It is a great pity that this latter should 

 be allowed in so near proximity to the real Serido district. We could 

 see distinctly the hybridisation that had taken place, the Moco having 

 taken on the roughness of the herbaceous cotton. 



At night we had to cross the " Rio de Piranhas," which had so much 

 water that the horses refused to swim with the riders in the saddle. 

 We had to swim through the river leading our horses behind us. 



At Sao Fernando, which is only 15km. from Caico, Moco cotton 

 was again hybridised, measuring barely 35mm. and being rough. 

 Verdao had the same length, strong and silky. 



Moco gives here hardly any crop during the first year, in the 

 second year a tree yields from 8 to 10 kilos seed cotton, increasing 

 every year until 16 to 20 kilos are reached. The ginning out-turn 

 was 28 to 29 per cent. 



Verdao gives a crop in the first year, in the second year it yields 

 slightly less than Moco, but after the third year there is hardly any 

 crop. There is no pruning done. Moco trees last here 10 years, but 

 after the fourth year the plants are cut back close to the soil. 



During years of drought the quantity of cotton per Moco tree is 

 reduced, but the quality is said to remain good. 



No difference is made in price for length or resistance of fibre ; 

 the largest buyer paid at the time of our visit 4 milreis per 16 kilos 

 for first, 500 reis less for second and 1 §500 less for third grade. 



