Vol. III. No. 57. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



197 



COTTON NOTES. 



Supply of Paris G-reen in the Leeward Islands. 

 The following circular letter, recently issued by 

 the Government Chemist and Superintendent of 

 Agriculture for the Leeward Islands, is published for 

 sreneral information : — 



o 



Those about to plant cotton are advised to take precau- 

 tions in good time to secure supi)lies of Paris green in order 

 to destroy the caterpillars which attack cotton. 



Paris green will not be distributed gratuitously from 

 the Botanic Stations. Local merchants are being asked to 

 import and keep in stock the necessary supplies ; from them 

 cotton planters can purchase at reasonable rates, and tliey 

 are advised to make known their wants to them at an early 

 date. Cotton planters are earnestly urged to provide them- 

 selves with supplies of Paris green before the caterpillars 

 make their appearance; it is only in this way that attacks 

 can be cpiickly met and economically controlled. 



Cotton Ginning at Jamaica. 



We extract the following from a report, in the 

 Gleaner of May 30, on a visit to the cotton ginnery 

 recently erected at Hartlands, Jamaica: — 



The gin is run by an oil engine which is of English make. 

 The working of the gin is very simple. The cotton falls 

 in at an opening at the top, is caught, and a knife separates 

 the seed from the cotton. The seeds are then allowed to fall 

 to the floor. The cotton is caught and pressed between a 

 roller which, technically, is called a porpoise roller, and comes 

 from the roller bright, with the ajipearajice of yellow silk. 

 It is then taken and instantly put up into bags ready for 

 e.xportation. The &7w/'fr's representative was informed that 

 each bag is estimated to hold 100 It), of cotton. 



At present no use is made of the cotton seed, which can 

 be used as food for cattle, and which is also the ijroduct 

 from which the so-called ' sweet oil ' so much used by the 

 Jamaica pea.santry, is manufactured. Hopes are, however, 

 entertained, that machinery will be introduced for this latter 

 purpose. The gin was made in England by Messrs. Piatt Bros., 

 Ltd., of Oldham. The average rate of ginning is 1 i lb. of 

 cotton per minute. 



The Gleaner's representative was taken over tlie cotton 

 fields by Mr. Jocopo Dadd, a Syrian gentlemaii, who had 

 much experience in cotton growing, and who is now engaged 

 with Mr. Fursdon in the culture of this product. ^Mr. iJadd 

 has at his disposal 50 acres, which he intends to plant out 

 in cotton. The varieties [ilanted, and which were shown 

 to the Gleaner's representative, are the Sea Island and 

 Egyptian, and most of the trees are over two months old. 



Cotton Cultivation in the British Empire and 

 in Egypt. 



The Board of Trade has recently issued a report by 

 Professor Wyndham Dunstan, F.lt.S., Director of the 

 Imperial Institute, on the present position and prospects of 

 cotton cultivation within the British Empire. A sketch map 

 of the ' Cotton Belt ' of the world accomimnies the report. 



In his introductory review of the subject Professor 

 Dunstan emphasizes the need for continued activity in 

 scientific experiment, and the collection of information as to 

 the results of experiments in other countries : — 



'The actual cultivation of cotton is an agricultural 

 problem, requiring for its solution chemical and botanical 

 knowledge, in addition to practical experience. The present 



paramount position of the United States in cotton cultivation 

 is largely due to the operations of its well-organized and 

 splendidly equipped Experiment Stations of the Department 

 of Agriculture, which are continually engaged in the 

 scientific investigation of the innumerable problems which 

 arise, and in the collection and disseminatir>n of information. 

 Since the United States will be the principal competitor with 

 our colonies in the cultivation of cotton, it is important that 

 they should bo at least as well provided with the means of 

 scientific experiment and advice. In the first place, it will be 

 necessary to establish in each colony one or nioi'e experiment 

 stations, and in many cases seed farms, at wliich agricultural 

 experiments on cotton cultivation and improvement may be 

 carried on, and where selected seed may be grown for 

 distribution to growers. These stations should be in charge 

 of agricultural experts (pialified to carry out these experi- 

 ments and to give demonstrations of new methods to the 

 native cultivators.' 



The first section of the rei)ort deals with the cotton 

 plant and its cultivation, including descriptions of the com- 

 mercial varieties of cotton divided into five groups (American, 

 Egyptian, South American, East Indian, and Nankin). 



Then follc:)WS an account of cotton growing in the various 

 British colonies in the five continents. In the case of those 

 colonies in which cotton growing has been carried on for 

 some time, full particulars as to yield, exports, prices, etc., 

 are given. In other cases the progress of the experiments 

 that are being carried on is fully reported. 



After making a general reference to the experiments 

 that have been carried out by the Imperial Department of 

 Agriculture for the West Indies and to the satisfactory 

 results of these experiments, Professor Dunstan reviews, in 

 detail, the experiments that have been carried on in the 

 various islands. The following extract is of intere.st : — • 



' The experimental work now being carried on in the 

 West Indies had the advantage of favourable initial circum- 

 stances. Sea Island cotton is indigenous to the West 

 Indies, and Upland cotton, if not actually native, is 

 thoroughly acclimatised. In 1657, cotton was cultivated as 

 a minor crop on many sugar estates in Barbados. Early in 

 the eighteenth century it was of importance in Jamaica, and 

 was also grown in St. Lucia, Trinidad, and elsewhere. So 

 important was the industry in those days that the West 

 Indies were able to furnish about 70 per cent, of all the 

 cotton used in Great Britain. Subsequently, the industry 

 was abandoned, and in 1900 it existed on a commercial scale 

 only in the small island of Carriacou. The principal cause 

 of the abandonment of cotton cultivation was the greater 

 profit to be obtained from sugar cultivation. Owing to the 

 decline of the latter industry, it appears probable that in 

 some parts of the West Indies cotton may now be grown in 

 place of the sugar-cane, whilst in other parts it may form a 

 valuable subsidiary crop, or perhaps be grown in rotation 

 with sugar. 



' The problem in the West Indies is thus not the estab- 

 lishment of an entirely new industry, but rather the revival 

 of an old one under economic conditions different from those 

 under which it was formerly carried on with success. 



' The conditions prevailing in the West Indies appear to 

 be favourable to the re-establishment of the industry. In 

 many of the islands there is land already cleared, and well 

 adapted to cotton cultivation. Soil and climate are known 

 to be suitable, and, in at least some of the islands, an 

 adequate supply of good labour, a factor of the utmost 

 importance, is obtainable at comparatively low cost. On 

 estates now devoted to sugar the introduction of cotton 

 involves no disorganization of the present cultural system.' 



