Page 302 - Bahrain Gov Annual Reports (I)_Neat

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300
Agriculture. -6-

and the mainland it is. not possible to assert that
it was grown in what is now known as Bahrain, In

most of the gardens there are'*#4 o few bushes of
cotton but it has not been cultivated in recent
times,

The first sowing of cotton was made at Aali,
where Rustom 68 was sown, and 95jS of the seeds
germinated within fifteen days. Unfortunately

this progress was not maintained, the young plants
died and after two months only a negligible number
of plants remained alive. The reason for this

failure was probably the sulphur in the water which
gradually saturated the soil and killed the plants.
After this experiment Abdul Aziz Kozaibi, who

has always taken a great interest in agriculture
offered to plant cotton in a piece of ground on
the outskirts of Hanamah and this planting was on the

whole a very successful undertaking.
The area planted was about three acres of new
ground. On 15th April* work was begun on preparing

the ground, digging it over and manuring it, ridges
i
were made and it was irrigated prior to sowing which
began on 1st Hay, The ground was divided as follows•-

14 acres - Rustom 82, 374 lbs,
1 n 90, 30 lbs.
3/4th " - 68 224 lbs.
Rustoms 82 and 90 was sown on. ridges and 68 on

plain plots, The seed germinated very well, within
about 15 days. The recent manuring had a bad effeot

on the plants after germination but this was counter-
acted by more frequent irrigation. About 90i of tha