83 



THE AGRICULTUllAL NEWS. 



MAhuu -i-l, 1919. 



rhe producti.'n oi lin.es; n^^d li- ■ products, and the 

 production of bananas, tl ■ of Jamaica; and 



reference might, be mavie i i . opportunities in 



^..,,^..„^;.,ll with animal indii: ; ~ the production of 



catle, 4>f horses a' d mules, swid in the pn^uction of 

 pig.s, with tht: consequent iindustrios involved in the 

 proJnetion of Lacon and the great variety of pork 

 products, but it must suffice to refer in detail to only 

 -\me UK ire product. 



The introductioi) of the cultivation of Sea Island 



-cotton has added a new industry to the West Indies, 



resultintj in an output havinjg an annual value during 



the past live years of some £t83,000. It is true that the 



value of this commodity has been inflated by the war 



disturbnncfs of the past few yeara, but not in a greater 



•flt3gree than that of sus;ar. It is significant too that the 



totnifhiction of this industry has brought relief to 



.several >^maU West Indian couimunities which had been 



tVie do.spair of those responsible for their welfare, and 



whof>« inhabitants vv-ri- in danger of sinking into 



vomparative indigence. 



'Tliis industry illustiutt^ m an iiutquimoai iiiajuer 

 i,bc assistance and stability which may be given to 

 indu.s1ri('3 by scientific, aid and investigations. 



At every stage the cultivation of Sea Island cotton 

 "m t hese i.slatids must be carried out on a basis of scien- 

 tific knowledge. It is true that the individuals imme- 

 diiuclv ilealing with the crop* may possess no outstand- 

 ing .scientific attainments, b;ib they must be constantly 

 in toiich with those who posse.ss the requisite scientific 

 knowledge. :ind they must be reiwjy to be guided by 

 their advice, <>r t;iilure results. 



'Che maintenance <>f the purity of the type pf the 

 cotton grown iipcessitatca constant vigilance and the 

 aid of expert workers, whoso business it is constantly 

 to supply pnie lots of seed true to type, so as to raain- 

 "tain the standard, which otherwise is sure to deteriorate. 



The control of pests mid (Jieeases htis required the 

 «.xercisf of .wientific res. invth of no mean order, so as to 

 provide data on which to hjise inforinat.ion for their 

 control, and this in turn has necessitated the inttr- 

 verition of the Govt/rnmtnt, so as to ensure that by the 

 <ihtire community necessary steps ar. Inli n which 

 scientific knowledije :ind pi'actical r ther 



have shown tobees.sentinl I 



The cotton industry illustrates in a striking 

 manner the difficulties which may .arise from a want of 

 complete understanding between the several partners 

 to an industry each of the other's requirements. 



l>uring the early efforts to establioh the best^ 

 type of Sea Island cotton in thtse islands great 

 difficulty was experienced in getting the growers 

 \.o understand just what were the rei|in"re.nipnt.H uf 

 the spinners. .Something was done to minitnize 

 this difficulty by experienced sp'nner* visiting the.se 

 islands and explaining their need.s on the spot; but 

 even then the difticulties were not entirc-ly got over, 

 for the spinni-rs themselves were unable to explain 

 their own needs clearly .ind on a scientific basi.*: tlmv 

 employed terms w^hich connoted useful fcannxvs in the 

 cotton as exhibited in its behaviour in .spinniiiif, 

 but these terms were vague and ine.v.act. t'or 

 instance, great stress was laid upon strength, but when 

 steps were taken in various pla(!ea to ascertain the 

 actual breaking strain of cotton fibres, it was found 

 that the spinners idea of strength had littli' relatitni 

 to actual breaking strain: indeed, in the case of certain 

 Egypt;iin cottons the anomaly w.is found that the 

 weakest fibres produced the sirongesi yarn. So the 

 spmnei. was obliged to ad mil that, when be spoke of 

 strong cotton, all he meant was cotton which would 

 spin the strongest yarn, .and ho was obliged to admin 

 also that he was igiionint as to the imlividnal factors 

 which conferred this quality. <.)iher .•similai .anomalies 

 were found to occur in connexion with other trade 

 requirements, such as fineness and other miUtera, 

 Fortunately, the need for rese.iroh in many directions, 

 both in regard to agncuUuie, coupled with the 

 guarantee of seed quality, and the control of pests and 

 diseases, as well as in connexion with the obscure 

 characters of the lint produced, h.as been recognized bv 

 the Government as well as by the planiers, so that at 

 present there exists in the West Indies a modest basis 

 of sciefitific research in rogaivl to these matters in their 

 various aspects: and the indications arc that this 

 work will be extended and utilized, thus adding 

 greatly to the chance of maintaining ,an industry 

 which is sure to feci the effects of competition, 

 and which, un.iided, would assuredly come to grjgf 

 within a very few years. 



In addition to Government assistance in the way 

 of research and investigation in regard to matters cog- 

 nate to agiieultiire and its .illir-d industries, it is 

 thought by many that direct helpshou'd be given by 

 way of protection. Doubtles.^ this idea is sound in sc) 

 far as it is sought to .affoiil iirntietion fiom unfair 

 :)mpetition. Manyaserii has been learned ia 



this connexion from the progixso of evcnt;s during the 

 war, and there has been a revelation as to the extent to 

 which unscrupulous Nations may carry on industrial war 

 It soems inevitable, therefore, that protection necessary 



