67 



3991. GOSSYPIUM BARBADENSE. Cotton. 



From Alexandria, Egypt. Received through Messrs. Lathrop and Fairchild 

 (No. 310), December 28, 1899. 



Jannovitch. This new variety of Egyptian cotton, the Jannovitch, was originated 

 as a sport from the Abbasi variety and was first brought to notice in 1897. Seed sold 

 last year for $20 a bushel, later for $12. It is asserted to be by all means the finest 

 cotton of the white, long-staple class ever produced in Egypt, The fiber is scarcely 

 any shorter than the Sea Island staple and has the characteristic twist. It is snow 

 white and of remarkably fine, silky texture. This season is the first one in which 

 this variety has been cultivated in commercial quantities. The lint from this variety 

 brought in Egypt, where a very small quantity was sold last year, over 50 cents a pound. 

 A rough guess was made by Mr. George Foaden, secretary of the Khedivial Agricul- 

 tural Society, that not more than 1,000 bales of this cotton will be sold this year in 

 Egypt. For methods of culture in Egypt see Bulletin No. 33 of the Department of 

 Agriculture, Office of Experiment Stations. For breeding purposes this cotton should 

 be of decided value, as its origin can be traced with probability, according to Mr. 

 Foaden, to crosses between the Egyptian cottons and the introduced Sea Island varie- 

 ties. The Egyptian brown cottons may possibly have sprung from Peruvian varieties 

 which are reported to have been introduced into Egypt early in this century. This 

 Jannovitch variety has hence quite possibly strains of both Sea Island and Peruvian 

 stock. The average length of the Egyptian cotton, ordinary varieties, is given in Bul- 

 letin No. 33 as 35.79 millimeters in comparison with 40.87 for Sea Island. If the fiber 

 of the Jannovitch, as claimed, is longer than the ordinary varieties, it will approach 

 very closely that of the Sea Island. It is worthy serious tests in all the cotton-growing 

 districts of America. Its successful culture in the uplands of the United States would 

 increase the profits of cotton growing materially, as the Egyptian cotton brings 

 prices only inferior to those of the Sea Island. (Reprinted from Inventory No. 6. ) 



3992. GOSSYPIUM BARBADENSE. Cotton. 



From Cairo, Egvpt. Received through Messrs. Lathrop and Fairchild (No. 311), 

 December 28, 1899. 



Mitafifi. The most commonly known and grown variety of Egyptian cotton until 

 the discovery of the Jannovitch (No. 2991). Discovered in 1883. This yields the 

 heaviest of all Egyptian cottons. It is a brown fibered variety. For experimental 

 purposes only. It was introduced by the Department three or four years ago. 

 (Reprinted from Inventory No. 6.) Distributed. 



3993. Gossypium barbadense. Cotton. 



From Cairo, Egypt. Received through Messrs. Lathrop and Fairchild (No. 312), 

 December 28," 1899. 



A variety resembling No. 3992, from which it was derived. It has been culti- 

 vated only six or seven years. Succeeds better on loamy soils than on clays. It is 

 more susceptible to unfavorable climatic conditions and slightly earlier. * It has a 

 fine, silky, very long, white staple. Gins with more difficulty than No. 3992. For 

 breeding purposes. (Reprinted from Inventory No. 6.) Distributed. 



3994. Cucumis melo. Cantaloupe. 



From Bassousa island in the Nile. Received through Messrs. Lathrop and Fair- 

 child (No. 313), December 28, 1899. 



Cantaloupes from Bassousa, where the most noted melons of Egypt are grown. 

 The fruits are oblong, 8 to 10 inches long, many seeded, yellow to pale green in 

 color, and thin skinned. The flesh is pale yellow. For experiments in the South. 

 (Reprinted from Inventory No. 6.) Distributed. 



3995. Cucumis melo. Cantaloupe. 



From Abou-el-rate, Egypt, Received through Messrs. Lathrop and Fairchild 

 (No. 314), December 28, 1899. 



Seed from excellent cantaloupes from the most noted melon-growing region in 

 Egypt, except Bassousa, Similar to fruits of No. 3994. A typical Egyptian strain. 

 (Reprinted from Inventory No. 6.) 



