COLTIVAZIONE DFf. COTONE 166
   se laws forni the commeiicement of every good system of irrigation.
   And, proceeding to treat of the associations A**oCiation of of capitalists, we cannot suppose that their co-o- caPit:ilist peration will be wanting; we believe that when in a country there exist ali the elements for creating a great branch of commerce, the surest metbod of inviting to the sanie both uative and foreign capital is publicity, and 011 that account tliti Royal Commission bas done everytbing to place this question of the cultivation of cotton in Italy before the public.
   Many persons bave already busied themselves Different serioulsly with the question. From the serious pV°"
   conferences which we hawe liad with persons wlio propose engaging in this kind of uuder-taking, it results that not a fewr desire to acquire vast tracts of land, to improve theni, it necessary, and to cultivate, or cause them to be cultivateil, cliiefly with cotton.
   There are others who would act, so to speak, rather indirectly than directly, by raaking provision for the general improvement of the soil, and principally for draining and irrigation *). Other speculators, again, propose to occupy tliem-selves exclusively with the improvement of the lands, as at present held by their owners, and with the purchase of lands for the object of improvement. As soon as they shall have improved them, they propose selling them, or giving them over for cultivation. On this pian, as on the other plans, the cultivation of cotton would naturally be developed beyond anything else. Moreover, most of these persons are anxious to estabiisb, in the various districts to be cultivated, machines for picking the cotton, and to promote, by ali
   l) See Appendix F.