Mr. SANDEMANasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the total estimated number of acres in our Overseas Dominions, Australia, Africa, and the West Indies, suitable for growing cotton?
§ Mr. AMERYI regret that it is not possible to make any such estimate of the acreage suitable for growing cotton in the territories in question. Even if the information were available, I consider that it would be misleading, as much of the area suitable for cotton growing would probably be found to be already under cultivation, with other crops. Moreover, where cotton is under cultivation, there must be a rotation of crops, so that land under cotton cultivation in one year is under a different crop in the next.