favourable for cotton
kan
an
extensive
districts
cultivation and would additional incentive to farmers and
others to take up the crop industry along the 60 miles.
course of the line which will connect Hongkong with Canton and pass through the new Territory
on its way.
this
railway will be of some national importance
in preserving and extending British influence in South China and this object would further be effected if cotton for Von Complirte
markets
were cultivated
on
a large scale. Experimental Cultivation. – Prudence
grounds
that in the first place experimental cultivation should precede any
cultivation on
a large scale not only to test the possibilities of culture but also to educate the Chinese farmers by demonstration. This experimental work should naturally come under the functions of the Botanical Department of Hongkong if it is sufficiently
well equipped for the purpose and if the Experimental Garden in the New Territory which I recommended and selected the site for two years ago has yet been established.
In
In addition to this garden at Chin Mon would advise that experiments should be
made at Ping-shan, Iron-him and Lantau
Island, the two former centres of the chief
districts, if the Chinese owners of land would
consent to be instructed in cultivation and to
carry on
the work from
their own resources under Government direction, the Government in the meantime
providing seeds for the rest of the land
I think the leading village
elders, especially those I had interested in
growing improved varieties of sugar-cane might fall into agreement with this plan.
Messrs. Jardine Matheson &
Co., the Agents
of the Hongkong Cotton Spinning Weaving &
Co., might be approached on the
subject and perhaps be induced to contribute
towards the expenses as they would most
likely be the first to benefit from a supply
of cotton produced in their district.
Introduction of the Cotton-Plant. Great care ought to be exercised in obtaining seeds of the best varieties of cotton from India, the West Indies and elsewhere and then
seeds should be taken from the best selected
plants