THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



January 11, 1919. 



COTTON. 



SEA ISLAND COTTON MARKET. 



The report of 31essrs. Henry W. Frost ir Co., on 

 Sea Island cotton in the Southern States, for the week 

 ended November 2'i, 191.S, is as follows: — 



isi-ASiis. The market has remained dull, with no 

 demand. The Factors are more desirous of selling, as the 

 stock is accumulating, but continue lo hold nominally at prices 

 last quoted (Fine to Fully Fine 72c., f.o.b. and freight), 

 being unwilling to uuike any concession in price, until there 

 is some renewal of demand. However, we think, with order 

 in hand, enabling us to make a positive bid, we could buy at 

 a decided concession from present asking prices. Under 

 these conditions, we omit quotations. 



OEOKGIAS AND FLORIDA.**. With very limited demand 

 the market in Savannah and throughout the interior towns is 

 very dull. Seme sales of small lots are made at irregular 

 prices, depending upt n the views or necessities of the owners, 

 rendering it impossible to quote, as the demand is not suffi- 

 cient to establish a market. 



The very small amount ginned to November 15 has 

 caused crop estimates to be reduced, and encourages the large 

 holders of cotton to think that the limited supply will be 

 required by the trade, and consequently a demand will 

 spring up, enabling them sooner or later to sell to better 

 advantage. 



We can buy occasionally in a limited way: — 



Fancy 64c., f.o.b. and freight. 



Extra Choice 63c., f.o.b. and freight. 



The exports from Savannah for the week have been : to 

 Northern Mills 469 bales, and from Jacksonville to Northern 

 Mills -220 bales. 



The United States Census I'.ureau reports the amount 

 of cotton ginned to November 15, as follows; — 



South Carolina 2,132 bales! 



[■making a total of 24,145 bales 



total crop 



Georgia 



Florida 



against last year 

 1916 

 1915 

 1914 



1.3,904 

 8,109 

 68,1 S.S 

 93,004 

 69,477 

 .53,.s7.5 



>8,174 

 113,109 

 8.5,278 

 78,857 



bales 



FURTHER DEVELOPMENT IN REGARD 



TO BRITISH COTTON GROWING. 



The following information has been forwarded by 

 the Ijritish Cotton (Jrowing vVssociation: — 



The Council of the British (Jotton Growing Association 

 have recently had an interview with Sir Henry I'lircheuough, 

 K-C.M.G., the Chairman of tlie Empire Cotton Growing 

 Committee. 



Sir Frank Forbes Ailanj, Bart., ('.I.E., presided, and 

 congratulated Sir Henry Uirclitiiough on the great work he 

 had done for the Kmpire in hi.s capacity as Chairman of 

 numerous Committees set up by the Government. The 

 British Cotton Growing Association early in 1917 had come 

 to the conclusion that the development of cotton cultivation 

 within the P.ritish Empire was not receiving the attention 



and assistance which it merited from the Gf)verument, and 

 that there was a good deal of indifference being shown, 

 which was injurious to the work the Association have 

 at heart. It was therefore decided to send a Deputa- 

 tion, which was received by the President of the Boatd of 

 Trade, on behalf of the Prime Minister. The outcome of 

 that meeting was the appointment of a powerful Committee, 

 under the name of the Empire Cotton Growing Committee, 

 of which Sir Henry Birchenough is Chairman, to investigate 

 the whole of the circumstances of the growth of cotton in the 

 British Empire, and to report- The British Cotton Growing 

 Association had during the past fifteen years effected a great 

 deal of arduous spade work which had been done uncommonly 

 well. Lancashire, both employers and operatives, had sub- 

 scribed liberally to the funds of the Association, and nearly 

 half a million of money had been raised without any expec- 

 tation on the part of the subscribers of obtaining any return 

 beyond extendmg the area of cotton cultivation. Any profits 

 that might have been earned would have been scent in new 

 developments. 



Sir Henry Birchenough explained that the Kmpire 

 Cotton Growing Committee was formed largely at the 

 request of the British Cotton (irowing Association, sup- 

 ported by a strong recommendation of the Board of 

 Trade. The object of that Committee was in no sense 

 whatever to replace anything that had been done, or 

 was being done, or will be done in the future in Lancashire, 

 but, on the contrary, its object was to supplement and 

 support those efforts, and the Committee is not intended to 

 replace any efforts, or committees, or bodies which are already 

 at work. Sir Henry recognized most gratefully the extraordin- 

 ary work which the P)ritish Cotton Growing Association had 

 done under circumstances of great difficulty. The early years 

 were the difficult ones, but, when once the preliminary diffi- 

 culties had been overcome, the reward came much more rapid- 

 ly than .seemed possible in the early .'^tages. The Empire 

 Cotton Growing Committee was composed of representatives 

 of the .self-governing Dominions and various Colonies, of the 

 representatives on Public Departments, and of repre- 

 sentatives of the various branches of the cotton industry. 

 The Committee had been in existence almost a year, 

 and during that time there had been certain pressing 

 problems to advise upon. The war had made progress in 

 many directions ditficult, but the Committee had now 

 reached a stage at which they lelt they could go ahead. The 

 Committee was bein^ further strengthened, in order to obtain 

 »he cooperation of :ill clas.scs in ijancashire — a co operation 

 not only of interests, but of knowledge. Up to the present 

 time sub-< 'ommitteis have been set up, to divide the work 

 among them on i.ne hand, and on the other hand, to secure 

 still further the cordial co-operation of the different clas.ses in 

 Lancashire- The ( 'ommittees already appointed were 

 Finance, Commerce, Research, Information, and three Terri- 

 torial Committees, vi/,. India, Egjpt and the Sudan, and the 

 self-governing I )omiiiions and Colonies. It was not desired 

 that the (.'onimittee should be regarded as a London one; 

 certain meetings could most conveniently be held in London, 

 but a large number of the Committee meetings would be 

 held in Manchester or elsewhere in Lancashire, because it 

 was necessary for Lancashire t-j feel ihat they were their 

 Committees, and that this was their work; and its 

 a.s8ociation should be as close as possible to the industry 

 itself. A combination cf private enterprise and government 

 assistance was vital to the future. The main Committee of 

 the Empire Cotton ( Jrowing Committee, which of course is 

 interested in cotton growing all over the world, even in the 

 self-governing Colonies and India, could take over a great 



