Bamia Cotton.—

This appears to be nothing more than a fastigiate variety of Egyptian cotton (Kew Report for 1877, pp. 26, 27). This habit is a very common form of variation, the Lombardy poplar and Irish yew being well-known examples. Some disappointment has been expressed by the recipients of the seed (in the Bahamas, Fiji Islands, and elsewhere) which we distributed at the plant growing up page 30 with the ordinary bushy habit of the cotton plant. The explanation appears to be that when the demand set in for the seed and the price rose, it was unscrupulously adulterated.

Mr. Chapman reports from Alexandria:—"Here the Bamia plant is mostly a failure, requiring an immense amount of water, and growing too tall, as high as 15 feet."

On the other hand, Acting-Consul Calvert reports from the same place at the end of last year:—"The Bamyah cotton, introduced in this country four years ago, the cultivation of which is yearly increasing, is giving satisfactory results to the grower and consumer, and has commanded this season exceptionally high values, having obtained in Liverpool the classification of extra fine Ashmuni, and the comparatively small quantity available this season has been eagerly sought after."

It has been tried experimentally in various parts of India with varying success. The quality of the cotton has not appeared to be materially different from that of ordinary Egyptian.