14 
them the apadi! importance attached to this Egyptian Cotton seed. 
The time for and the treatment of the crop, in the 
absence of see ba to me contrary, should follow those which obtain 
locally for ee Cotto: 
5. The seed for Lagos ‘was taken out by Sir Alfred Moloney on 
Saturday last. The remaining portion of the seed, contained in five 
small boxes addressed to the Governors of the Gold Coast, Sierra shes 
Gambia, Leeward and Windward Islands, will be forwarded to the 
Crown rE for transmission to their Tserirt ani with the least 
possible delay. 
diga) = “Morris. 
This Egyptian Cotton seed consists of two varieties, A. “ Ashmouni,”’ 
B. “ Bahmieh,” a portion of each variety is included in the consignments 
mentioned above 
The Hon. R. H. Meade, C.B. 
COLONIAL OFFICE to ROYAL GARDENS, KEW. 
SIR, Downing Street, March 19, 1890. 
I AM directed by Lord Knutsford to transmit ‘to you a copy of a 
Despatch from the Governor of Sierra Leone, somer ge a saray of 
Cotton collected at Mafweh, on the Bum River, and to s that his 
Lordship would be much obliged if you would be goos Sok to obtain 
the ues of an expert as to its commercial value. 
am, &c. 
Signed R. H. MEADE. 
The Director, i ) 
Royal Gardens, Kew. 
[Enclosure.] 
Mr. ALLDRIDGE to the GOVERNOR of SIERRA LEONE. 
SIR, Sulymah, February 6, 1890. 
IN accordance to your Excellency’s taatuctibais to me of the 
15th cient, No. 31, I have now the honour to forward to the Hon. 
the Colonial Secr Secretary a sam ple bag of Cotton 
This particular sample was obtained at Mafweh by 
I find that this class of Cotton is notthe wild or ak Gotton, but that 
it is planted. by the natives (usually between Cassada) for the manu- 
facture of ee | sees it is not, however, cultivated as an article of 
trade in the raw st. 
s I have ailem a the honour of p egan your Excellency, the 
cultivation of this Cotton is so simple, the yield so prolific, and the 
wth of the crop so rapid, I am of opinion that when once it became 
an a aes of local marketable value, it eye be cultivated to an 
lnportant extent, and it should, I venture o think, soon become agreat 
such as 
ai ë wal, no aoe soc aa if the Cotton could be purchased 
frem the growers as it is picked from the shrub, without being ginned, 
pice ee only een Ne ey ena tee y i 
LEA DES Be el pie Sic 16 
