6 



BULLETIN" 332, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



In 1913 the production of Egyptian cotton was confined to the 

 Salt River Valley, where a total of 3,800 acres was planted. Not all 

 of this acreage came to harvest, but the crop for the year amounted 

 to 2,135 bales of 500 pounds each. 



In 1914 the area planted in the Salt River Valley amounted to 

 approximately 12,000 acres. On much of this area the conditions 

 were #iot favorable for large yields because of deficient soil fertility, 

 inadequate preparation of the land, or faulty management of the 

 irrigation. The total crop for the year amounted to 6,187 bales of 

 500 pounds each. While the average yield per acre shown by these 

 figures is not high, a number of farmers having good land and using 

 good methods obtained more than one bale per acre. 



The status of the industry during the first three years of its' exist- 

 ence is summarized in Table III. 



Table III. — Number of bales, estimated value of the lint, and estimated value 

 of the seed of Egyptian cotton produced in the United States in the years 

 1912, 1913, and 1911,? 



Year. 



Cotton 



lint in 



500-pound 



bales. 



Estimated 



value of 



lint. 



Estimated 



value of 



seed. 



Estimated 



total value 



of crop. 



1912 



375 

 2,135 

 6,187 



$39, 000 

 197,000 

 483,000 



$5,000 

 28,000 

 50,000 



$44, 000 



1913 



225,000 



1914 



533,000 







1 Since 1913 the production of Egyptian cotton has been confined chiefly to the Salt River Valley in Ari- 

 zona. A small quantity was produced in 1914 in the vicinity of Tucson, Ariz., but this is not included in 

 the table. 



Four ginning establishments, devoted exclusively to ginning Egyp- 

 tian cotton, have been erected in the Salt River Valley. Each of 

 these is equipped with 10 roller gins. The establishments are located 

 in the towns of Phoenix, Tempe, Mesa, and Chandler. There are 

 also two oil mills located at Phoenix, which press the seed of the 

 Egyptian cotton crop of Arizona. 



In staple and quality of fiber the American-grown Egyptian cot- 

 tion is comparable with the best varieties produced in Egypt, and 

 especially with the Jannovitch and Sakellaridis. The crops so far pro- 

 duced have also been of very good grade, comparing favorably with 

 that of the best imported cotton. A large portion of the Egyptian 

 cotton imported into the United States is of low grade or of rela- 

 tively short staple, i. e., 1£ to If inches. The American-grown 

 Egyptian cotton does not come into competition with the latter class, 

 but only with the better and higher priced varieties. However, the 

 quantity of high-priced Egyptian cotton at present imported by 

 American manufacturers very much exceeds the quantity likely to be 

 produced in this country in the near future. 



