340 
which, by reason of their altitude and their distance from 
watercourses, cannot adopt the irrigation system in any of 
its several forms ona large scale. These districts are situated 
on the intermediate tableland to the south-west, and partly on 
the low plain towards the rivers Gasc and Setit. The varieties 
of cotton which can be grown there are those of quick growth 
and those of the perennial lignified type. 
The second class of crops, which utilizes the waters from 
inundations and, we may say, practically only these waters, 
is to be found in those districts of the plain and of the eastern 
intermediate tableland which are naturally inundated by the 
watercourses, and which, with a suitable hydraulic system, 
may be irrigated by inundation and with regard to which the 
seasons coincide, as, for instance, the district of Barca and a 
portion of the territory of Gasc and Setit. In this case, also, 
the crops must be of quick growth. 
The districts of the eastern plain, namely, the littoral zone, 
where there are rains in winter and two periods of inundation 
in summer and in winter, may be used for growing crops of the 
last type. The particular conditions of rains and inundations 
make it possible to cultivate varieties of slower growth. 
The extension of cotton growing in Eritrea will depend on 
a variety of conditions—on a careful choice of the varieties, 
on an accurate selection, and, where the cultivation must be 
on irrigated land, on the execution of hydraulic works, in 
addition to the solution of the difficult problem of labour. 
Other questions are of great interest in connection with the 
growing of cotton, and, amongst these, the important ques- 
tions relating to a unity of type of production, the supply of 
selected seed, the position to be given to cotton in the working 
of the concern, the selling facilities and the transport. At 
the present time cotton growing is not widely distributed over 
the country. The natives grow cotton only by fits and starts, 
and always on restricted areas. As a matter of fact, they 
have nearly given up growing cotton by reason of the high 
prices of dura. 
In addition to the natives, the growing of cotton is being 
carried on by an Italian Company in plantations situated in 
various parts of the Colony; this Company, by its industrial 
and commercial agencies, occupies itself also with the acquisi- 
tion, the cleaning, and the export of the native crop. 
The Presipenr: I might remark with regard to Eritrea that 
it is a Colony in which this country is to a certain extent 
interested, as I believe there is one English syndicate engaged 
in cotton growing there. This venture seems to have some 
prospects of success. 
