PARAHYBA 157 



The cotton here was very good but we noticed some crossing 

 between the "herbaceo" and "Moco." The yield per acre was 4821b. 

 To my mind this place is the limit where the Serido — Moco type of 

 cotton grows, for at the next place — Riacho Tatu — there was a distinct 

 falling off in the cotton. It is noticeable that less care is taken in the 

 cultivation, and again we got the mixture of " Maranhao," " Riqueza " 

 and " Moco." 



We travelled by cars along the splendid main roads up to Pombal, 

 inspecting the cotton fields on the way. 



At Patos, which is almost half way, we met again the President 

 of the State of Parahyba — Dr. Solon de Lucena — who happened to 

 l)e in this part of the country ; he enquired as to our impressions. 



At Pombal we were able to have a meeting with a large number 

 of cotton cultivators, to whom we explained the necessity of pure 

 seed and better methods of cultivation. This was very necessary as 

 the cultivators had been told that they should alternate one row of 

 " Moco " with a row of annual cotton. The effect of such advice 

 was clearly visible in the hybridisation that had taken place and, of 

 course, the annual American type of cotton was mixed with Moco in 

 the ginning, causing the mixture of seeds and lint. 



Unfortunately, we were not able to reach Souza. This is a town 

 which is likely to expand in the near future because several railway 

 companies are building lines centreing on Souza, viz. : — 



1. The Central Company do Rio Grande do Norte is being 

 extended from Lages to Souza. 



2. The railway from MossoRO is projected via S. Sebastao, 

 Carahubas to Souza. 



3. The Great Western Branch from Campina Grande is to be 

 extended to Souza. 



4. The railway from Lavras in Ceara is to connect up with 

 Souza. 



5. The Central de Pernambuco Railway terminating at present 

 at Barrao de Rio Branco is to be continued to Souza. 



At Patos there was a very nice selected " Moco " cotton ; pretty 

 strong, but the majority of fibres did not measure more than 32mm., 

 though one boll measured 55mm. This was at the Fazenda 

 QuEiXADO. The arroba here is 20 kilos. 



We returned from Patos to Santa Luzia and proceeded via Sole- 

 DADE to Campina Grande. Here the " Moco " measured 32mm. only 

 and was rather dark. 



The chief interest at Campina Grande is the very modern 

 ginning factory of the " Companhia Parahybana de Prensagem e 

 Beneficiamento de Algodao," in which the export firm of Messrs. 

 Wharton, Pedroza & Co., Natal, is largely interested. In this factory 

 there are three gins of 80 saw blades each with suction pipes and filler 

 and a hydraulic press (Bridge, Castleton) turning out exjjort bales. 

 {See -p. 170.; - 



Campina Grande is the great market for Parahyba and Pernam- 

 buco through which 200,000 bales, each of 64 kilos, pass annually. 



