38 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



Febeuaey S, 1908. 



WEST INDIAN COTTON. 



Messrs. Wolstenholme & Holland of Liverpool 

 write as follows, under dnte of January 20, with refer- 

 ence to the sales of West Indian Sea Island Cotton : — 



Since our last report, about 100 bales West Indian Sea 

 Islands liavi' Ijeen sold, at finni 20(/.t(i 2.^i:/.,cliieHy St.A'incent 

 cotton. 



Spinners continue quite indifferent buyeis, some having 

 considerable stocks left over fi-om last season. 



It is difficult to obtain over I20(/., e.vcept for extra fine 

 quality, and at the moment the tendency is towards lower 

 prices. 



COTTON-SEED FACTORY AND 

 COTTON-SEED PRODUGIS. 



A cotton-seed oil factor}', cajiable nf (joaliiiy uiili 

 4 tons of seed per day, and inclndina: sle.uii power 

 delinter, with presses and lefining outfit, would cost 

 about £2,500. 



The usual returr. of oil is at the rate of 40 gallons 

 per ton of seed. Old cottonseed yields less od, and 

 that of a darker colour. Fresh seed is found to bo 

 more economical in working, while the oil is brighter 

 and also sweeter in flavour. 



The dry oil-cake yielded by a ton of seed after the 

 extraction of the oil may weigh from 1,500 to 1,700 lb., 

 depending on the age and quality of the seed. 



SEA ISLAND COTTON MARKET. 



Messrs. Heiny W. Frost & Co. of Charleston, report- 

 ing on January 11 last, in regard to the market for Sea 

 Island cotton, state : — 



During the i)ast week there has been a moderate demaml 

 for fully fuie quality of cotton at -lOc. per Ih., and for fully 

 line to line, but off in i)rei)aration, at .'i.'Jc, the buying being 

 for France. Tliere is al.so some enquiry for crop lots, but at 

 prices below the views of tlie planters. 



On January US, Messrs. Frost write- — 

 The sales for tiie week consisted cliictiy of tine ((ualitv 

 at 35ic. to .'?()c., and of stained to tinged cotton at piii-es 

 ranging from 28c. to 33c. The larger proportion of the liuying 

 was on account of the Northern mills. Factors contiiuie to 

 hold firmly fully line ipialitics at lOc, and the jilanters' crops 

 at 43c. to -l.jc, and ujiwarils. whilst they are willing to make 

 some concessions in jirices to sell the tinged and stained cottmi, 

 of which tlie receipts now largely consist. 



COTTON IN CENTRAL AFRICA. 



Referring to the cotton iinhistry in British Centra. 

 Afi'ica, the Annual Kcpurf (190C-7) on the Protecto- 

 rate states : — 



The area under cotton in 1906-7 was 7,017 acres, or 

 about 3,000 acres le.ss than the pix'ceding year, and less than 

 one-third the acreage under cotton in 1904-5. At that time 

 (1904) large acreages were put in without nuich regard to 

 the variety sown, soil, or the prevailing climatic conditions. 

 The results obtained under these circumstances were so 

 disapi>ointing that many planters felt compelled to discon- 

 tinue cotton cultivation, and devote their attention to other 

 crops. Next season it may be anticipated that more cotton 

 will lie planted, as many are awaiting a favourable ojjportun- 

 ity for making a fr<^h start with this product. The varieties 

 "f cfitton are getting acclimatized year by year, and the 

 iiiibistrv tends to become more firmlv established. 



PAPER MANUFACTURE FROM 

 COTTON STALKS 



the 



The Qiu't-nslaml Aijrlridturdl Journal 

 Sey)tember last, published the following note on 

 pids|ii'ctiv(' manufacture ofjiaiier ff-om cotton stalks: — 



l'a|ier manufactured from cotton stalks is of the strong- 

 est texture and .softest finisli. It is reported that several 

 plants I'.ir the purpose of carrying on this manufacture will be 

 erected during the next few months in certain American 

 States. The practical effect of this new invention, if fully 

 developed, would betoinciease the present value of the cotton 

 crop nearly £20,0(10,000 sterling aninially. 



The utilization of a waste jiroduct such as the cotton 

 stalk, manufactnred into conunercial pajier, will be a boon 

 of inestimable value to the world. It will check the present 

 increasing cost of paper, wliicli is becoming .such a burden 

 iqion the newspaiier industry. 



Mr. Harvie Jordan, President of the Southern Cotton 

 .\s>(>ciation, U.S.A., declares that tlie maiuif'acture of ]iaper 

 frcpm the fibre of the cotton stalk is one of the latest and most 

 interesting inventions of the new century. Not only have 

 the investigations ]iassed the experimental stage, but they 

 are rapidly lieing shaped .so as to be placed into practii'al 

 iiperation. Mr. .lordan says it has been unquestionably 

 <lemniistrated that all grades of paper, from the liest form of 

 linen to the lowest 'new.s,'caii be manufactured from this 

 material. 



Samples of unbleached paper prepared from cotton 

 stalks, grown at Barbados, were exhibited at the recent 

 Agricultural Conference, by Mr. Bert de la Mar of 

 Trinidad. 



