ENVIRONMENT OF THE BOLL 117 



picking is the best, and the third the worst. The differ- 

 ences are partly due to increased frequency of insect 

 attack, and partly to the fact that the third picking, if 

 delayed too long, will include senescent lint, especially 

 if cultivation has aimed at hastening maturity by depri- 

 vation of water, or if the water-table has risen in the 

 meanwhile . 



As in the case of other common experiences which we 



have discussed, this difference between the pickings is 



a matter of accident excluding boll-worm 



Quality of ^^ not Q ( jj rect an( j nece ssary causa- 



Pickings. 



tion. The temperature in Egypt during all 



the period from July to mid-October is rarely a limiting 

 factor directly, so that it is not till late October that the 

 cultivation of cotton in middle Egypt becomes dependent 

 on the temperature; if the cultivator will abstain from 

 trying to save a day or two in maturity by cramping the 

 water-supply (and it should be noticed that the Fellah 

 himself never does so unless he is obliged), and is lucky 

 with the boll-worm attack, there is no reason why he 

 might not obtain cotton of the same value in his third 

 picking as in his first picking, excepting that the autumn 

 fogs may cause the lint to mildew if left too long on the 

 plant after the boll opens. The whole thing is a question 

 of accidents; there are more chances of unfavourable 

 accidents late in the season than in the beginning of the 

 season, but most of them can be avoided. The worst of 

 all these accidents in Egypt is the rise of the water-table , 

 which takes place in permeable soils when the flood comes 

 down. 



