262 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



August 22, 1908. 



WEST INDIAN COTTON. 



Messrs. Wolstenholme & Holland, of Liverpool, 

 write as follows, under date July 31, with reference to 

 the sales of West Indian Sea Island cotton on the 

 Liverpool market: — 



Siut-e (lur last report, tlicie has been iid (lfiii<\iiil for 

 \Ve>t Indian Sea Island cotton until yesterday, wlit-n 1-IU 

 bales wiTf solil at from 14(/. to 15(7., at fairly steady pnoes, 

 conipi-isiui.' ISarliados, Antigua, St. Croi.x, St. Kitt's and 

 St. \'iiicc'iit. 



COTTON IN THE SEA ISLANDS. 



Mes.srs. Heniy W. Frost & Co., of Charleston, in 

 their Sea Island cotton report of July 25 last, state 

 that during the fortnight previous to that date, the 

 demanil for Sea Island cotton was limited and resulted 

 in the sale of only Gl bales at 35c., for export to France. 



Factors are holding odd bags and asking |)rices of .30c. 

 for cotton of ' fully tine ' ipiality, and .)2c. ffir planters' croji 

 lots. It is believed, however, tli;it they would make some 

 concessions in order to .sell. 



In reference to the crop prospects for the coming 

 season, Messrs. Frost write : — 



'J'he crops on the islands around Charlc.-tou lia\r hail fax 

 ourable weather iip to this tinie,and have been rel>orted as \ cry 

 promising, but they are much in need of ri.iii at this moment, 

 whilst the advices from I'.eaufort arc that they have had too 

 much rain, and that the outlook is i ot good, with a prospect 

 of the crop falHng short of llic return of last year. 



COTTON CONFERENCE IN ENGLAND. 



The Conference arranged between the West Indian 

 cotton growers and iManchester spinners was held in the 

 Council Koomofthe Ih'itish Cotton-growing Associa- 

 tion, at Manchester, from Augu.st 5 to 11, under tho 

 presidency of Sir Alfred Jones, K.C.M.t!. The W.st 

 Indi.in delegates, whose names were given in the Ai/ri- 

 culfarul Ncirs of Jidy 25 last, were in attendance, aiul 

 there were present in additioTi, Mr. Conrad Watson 

 from Jamaica, and the Hon. H. L. Thornton and 

 Mr. Daniel Morris, juii., as representatives of Tobago. 



As will liave been .seen from the imblic telegrams thi' 

 proceedings were of a highly interesting character. 

 Mr. l'',mmolt. Deputy Speaker, welcomed the delegates on 

 behalf of the House of Common.s, and expressed the interest 

 felt by the House in i'.ritish cotton growing. Colonel 

 .Se<dy, Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, said that 

 .vhatever could be done by the Colonial Office to heli) the 



M.stcm of co-operation between West Indian cotton growers- 

 and Manchester spinuer.s would be done. Sir Daniel Morris 

 gave an addiess describing the progress of the cotton industry 

 in the West Indies. Sir Alfred .lones regretted that, so far, 

 .Tamaica had not done so well as the other islands, and on 

 behalf rif his company, he offered to cairy .Tamaica cotton to- 

 l-'.ngland free of charge for one year. 



.V resolution was adopted on the motion of 2>Ir. Hutfon, 

 Chairman of the British Cotton-growing Association, urging 

 the (iovernment tr) place the Imperial Ueimrtment of 

 Agriculture for the We.st Indies on a permanent ba.sis. 



\ report of the proceedings of the Conference will 

 appe.'ir in the next uuudier of the Ar/rini/tiira/ A'cfs. 



LEGUMINOUS CROPS FOR COTTON 



LAND. 



In the West Indies Sea Island cotton is chieHy 

 grown as a subsidiary crop to sugar-cano anil imt .as- 

 a main crop. 



In the Sea Ishuals, however, and in Carolina and 

 Cleorgia, where Sea Island cotton is grown at all, it usually 

 forms the most important ami prntitalile croji in the rotation. 

 Under these conditions, one of the chief points needing 

 attention by the (-otton farmer is the best means of maintain- 

 ing the fertility oi the land for cotton ctdtivation. 



i\rtiticial manures are freipleutly applieil, but in Faniuvs' 

 liidhtiii -jV/.'of flu- I'nited States Department of Agricultun — 

 ' Sea Island Cotton,' it is stated that one of the chief factors 

 for keeping tlie land in good condition i.s the adoption 

 of a rotation in which leguminous crops are pronunent. 

 Cowpeas, velvet beairs, and peanuts, all of which have been 

 recommended for cultivation in the ^Vest Indies, are the chief 

 crops of tlii> kind grown, being found to give excellent 

 results on the liglit soils most suitable for Sea Island cotton, 

 and the rotation frequently extends over uo more than two 

 vear.s, cotton being planted in one season, and a nnxlure of 

 corn and cowpeas the second year. 



On the whole, it is stated, the cowpca (Vi'jna Caljoii;/) 

 is the most popular and widely -grown legiuninous crop for 

 growth on Sea Island cotton laud. The peculiar advantages 

 of this crop are that the plant is well adapted to poor land, 

 it is easy to cultivate, and the prodnce is valuable as food 

 for man and stock. The Iron cowpea is specially recommend- 

 ed for growth in connexion with cotton. 



Tin' velvet bean (Mnninti jinificiis, var. Dtitit:) is 

 another crop which constitutes a valu-dble source of humus, 

 and adds a large amount of nitrogen to the soil on which it 

 is grown. This plant grows very vigorously, and its vines 

 afford excellent fodder for stock. The plant, too, is innnune 

 to mo.st diseases. 



