cotton from India before China, and the plant is
extensively grown, especially in West and Middle Japan. The production
is not sufficient to meet the home demand; during the five years of
normal trade before the war with Russia Japan imported annually about
800,000 bales of cotton, chiefly from British India, China and the
United States, and during the same period exported each year some 2000
bales, mainly to Korea.

_Dutch East Indies._--In Java and other Dutch possessions in the East
cotton is cultivated. A considerable amount is used locally, and during
the six years ending in 1907 the surplus exported ranged from about
24,000 to 40,000 bales per annum.

_Russia._--Some cotton is produced in European Russia in the southern
Caucasus, but Turkestan in central Asia is by far the more important
source of Russian-grown cotton. In this region cotton has been
cultivated from very early times to supply local demands, and to a minor
degree for export. Since about 1875 the Russians have fostered the
industry, introducing American Upland varieties, distributing seed free,
importing gins, providing instruction, and guaranteeing the purchase of
the crops. The Trans-Caspian railway has been an important factor;
almost all the cotton exported passes over this line, and the statistics
of this trade indicate the progress made. The shipments increased from
250,978 bales in 1896-1897 to 495,962 bales in 1901-1902--part, however,
being Persian cotton. The production of cotton in Russia in 1906 was
estimated at 675,000 bales of 500 lb. each. About one-third of the
cotton used in Russian mills is grown on Russian territory, the
remainder coming chiefly from the United States.

_Asia Minor._--Smyrna is the principal centre of cotton cultivation in
this region. A native variety known as "Terli," and American cotton, are
grown. The general conditions are favourable. According to the Liverpool
_Cotton Gazette_, Asiatic Turkey produced in 1906 about 100,000 bales,
and Persia about 47,000 bales. Cotton was formerly cultivated profitably
in Palestine.

_Australasia._--The quantity of cotton now produced in Australasia is
extremely small. Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia possess
suitable climatic conditions, and in the first-named state the cotton
has been grown on a commercial scale in past years, the crop in 1897
being about 450 bales. Considerable interest attaches to the
"Caravonica" cotton raised in South Australia, which