the definite conclusion that if they wanted to make a success of 

 cotton growing they must not allow it to ratoon. They must not 

 attempt to grow together two crops from the same seed. They 

 must plant fresh seeds every year. 



Another point he wanted to call to their attention was that in 

 other islands they would not grow cotton in the same ground two 

 crops in succession. They grew cotton on certain lands in one 

 year and something else in the next year. He thought that was a 

 wise decision. 



He had been asked whether Egyptian cotton was the best to 

 grow here. For Egyptian cotton there was an absolutely unlimited 

 demand but whether it would pay them to grow it he did not know. 

 What they would receive for Egyptian cotton would not be more 

 than one half, if as much, as what they would receive for good 

 cotton grown from such seeds as the Imperial Department of 

 Agriculture secured from Mr. E. L. River's estate of last year. He 

 should be sorry to discourage experiments made with Egyptian 

 cotton. They were discouraging them in the smaller islands 

 because of the risk of mixing the seed, but Jamaica was big enough 

 to try the experiments with regard to Egyptian cotton. An 

 important point which he desired to bring home to them was that 

 if they were growing Egyptian cotton then it should be confined 

 to a certain area. 



They must most carefully avoid mixing the seed of long staple 

 and short staple cotton, and if through any cause whatever after 

 selecting the cotton seed, that grown on one patch should be in- 

 ferior to that grown on another patch, then keep them separate; for, 

 if you mix them you will only obtain a price equal to the worst 

 cotton in each bag ; and even then you will find it difficult to find 

 a market for it, as a spinner will avoid buying mixed cotton if 

 there is a plentiful supply on the market. Just as the strength of 

 a chain is its weakest link, so is cotton only worth the value of 

 the poorest cotton in the bag. If necessary the crops should be 

 divided into three grades, and if that is done full market prices 

 will be realized for each grade. 



He had been asked to say if it was necessary to obtain fresh 

 seed for the next season. Sir Daniel Morris and the Department 

 were now engaged in making experiments to find out if it was 

 necessary to import seed every year from the States. Personally, 

 he did not think so. They, however, would have to await the 

 result of the experiments. 



He had also been asked whether it was not wiser to cross the 

 native with the Sea Island variety to avoid insects and other pests. 

 All he would tell them was if they gave up the idea of ratooning 

 then they need fear no ravages from pests. 



It was very essential to pick the cotton as clean as could possibly 

 be done, and only to pick when the cotton was ripe. Pickers who 

 picked clean ought to receive a higher scale of pay than those 

 who brought in the cotton with chips and scale. The result of the 



