The agricultural and forest products of British West AfricaDudgeon, Gerald C. (Gerald Cecil)
History
The agricultural and forest products of British West Africa
Dudgeon, Gerald C. (Gerald Cecil)
Agriculture -- Africa, West; Forest products -- Africa, West
The native mode of growing cotton is in combination with a number
of other agricultural crops, the seeds of all being mixed before
being broadcasted in a field, which has been lightly tilled. Cotton
sown in this manner is permitted to yield crops for two seasons,
but the second crop is generally much inferior. Owing to this
irregular manner of planting, the amount of cotton available for
use is small, and is nearly all absorbed for the supply of the
native looms; being readily saleable in the weaving districts at
about 2_d_. per lb. of seed cotton, or about twice as much as the
British Cotton Growing Association were prepared to pay.
The inefficiency of the quality of the local cultivation, and the
disinclination on the part of the native to adopt better methods,
effectually prevented more cotton being grown, and the British Cotton
Growing Association were unable to obtain sufficient material to
keep their ginnery employed.
In connection with the cotton ginnery, erected at Moyamba, a large
plantation was made; the indigenous as well as many exotic varieties
of the plant being put in. The site, however, proved unsuitable,
labour was found to be expensive, and the climatic conditions
were complained of. In consequence of these adverse conditions,
the Association were reluctantly obliged to abandon the work. The
export of cotton was never significant and ceased altogether in 1909.
=Indigenous Varieties.=—Three well-marked types of cotton are
found throughout the country, and are known by the native (Mendi)
names of (1) Kwonde, (2) Fande Wa, (3) Dhoole. The first of these has
a white lint and a seed covered with white wool. An examination of
this at the Imperial Institute showed that the lint from it was the
most valuable of the three; the staple measured about 1″, and was
compared with very good quality “Indian Broach.” Two samples,
valued in 1907, were priced at 5⅜_d_. and 5¾_d_. respectively,
with good Broach at 5⅜_d_., and Middling American at 6·18_d_. The
Fande Wa variety has a creamy lint and a green woolly seed. It
was said to be of good quality, but the colour was not so good as
the last, and the value was consequently lower. Dhoole is rather
rarer than the other two, and has a brick-red or brown lint and a
bare seed. Khaki or red cottons are not in demand upon an European
market, but locally they are somewhat sought after.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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