Vol. 511 Xo 



r9. 



THE AOrUCULTURAL NEWS. 



the returns are complete except for those from Antigua for 

 the quarter ended September 30, 1912 E.xcluding these, they 

 show that the amount of cotton exported from the West 

 Indies in the crop season, October 1, I9I1, to .September 

 30, 1912, was 7,186 bales, weighing 2 608,697 lb and 

 valued at £162,507. 



I'RRKS DUKlNt; 1911-12. 



The first report of Messrs. Wolsteiiholme and Holland 

 for the period October 1911 to September 1912, inclusive, 

 shows that West Indian Sea Islands were being sold in good 

 quantity atsteady prices, while Carolina Islands were being held 

 for 20(/. or over, without buyers, and the best Florida, com- 

 pBting as usual with the lower qualities of West Indian, 

 was being sold freely at 13(/. The market was also firm at 

 the end of October, chiefly because of short supplies, but the 

 tendency of American Sea Lslands was downward Sales of 

 AVest Indian continued in the commencement of November; 

 there was very little stock, and prices were firm. Fully 

 fine Carolina Islands was offering at lold. c.i.f, but the 

 quality was so very inferior that We't Indian Sea Inland 

 was expected to be purchased in preference. Most of the 

 cotton sold early in December was the remainder of the 

 jirevious season's crop, realizing ISd. to 16fJ, while a few 

 bales of superior new crop cotton obtained about 18(/. The 

 fine spinning trade, which had been rather inactive, con- 

 tinued in this state. Sales continued until nearly the 

 end of the year (1911), with fairly good prices for both old 

 and new crop. Toward the end of the year, the absence of 

 desirable qualities caused little business to be done in West 

 Indian Sea Islands. Sales were, however, made at the end of 

 the year when the market remained steady because of the infer- 

 ior quality and quantity of the Carolina Sea Islands crop. 

 The sales continued at tlie beginning of the year, and prices 

 remained very firm: at the end of January the market was 

 still firm, and good qualities commanded corresponding 

 |i rices. 



Sales and the same state of the market continued in 

 February, March, April and May, chiefiy because the poor 

 character of the Carolina crop, and its smallness, were making 

 most users purchase West Indian in replacement: in May, 

 however, there was very little demand for anything over 

 20rf. The sales were small in this month, and consumers 

 vith their immediate wants suppliecl were not eager 

 buyers at the time; in June, however, the sales increased, 

 but the use by fine spinners of Sakellarides for manu- 

 facturing a coarser article, which would sell readily, 

 commenced to affect the market. By the end of June, sales 

 were very small, and the demand very limited; the former im- 

 proved in July, though spinners still held supplies sufficient 

 for some months to come. The conditions continued, with 

 fair sales of West Indian Sea Island: and in August, though 

 sales were effected at reduced prices, spinners were indiffer- 

 ent buyers, and holders of Carolina cotton were pressing sales 

 in competition with West Indian. Augustended witha fair busi- 

 ress at the reduced prices, the bulk of it being at 14rf. to 16(A 

 In September, there were small sales at reduced prices, and 

 buyers were waiting to see how the American Sea Island 

 cotton market would open in the next month; be.sides, many 

 spinners were continuing to use various kinds of Egyptian 

 crtton. Messrs. Wolstenholme and Holland's reports showed 

 that this condition persisted up to the end of the period 

 ijnder review. 



The following table gives the prices per Bb. for Sea Island 

 cotton in the Liverpool (Messrs. Wolstenholme and Holland) 

 and Charleston (Messrs. H. W. Frost A Co.) markets during 

 the season under review: — 



COTTON-GROWING IN SOUTH AFRICA. 



The following' information regarding cotton-grow- 

 ing in the Cape Province and Rhodesia is taken from 

 Til'' Board of Trade Journal for November 7 and 14^ 

 1912:— 



According to information received by H.M. Trade- 

 Commissioner for South Africa from the Commissioner of 

 Customs and Excise at Pretoria, it is reported that several! 

 prominent Cape Town gentlemen have been making careful 

 investigations as regards the possibility of the establishment 

 of a cotton-growing industry in the Cape Province. A local 

 firm have undertaken to furnish the necessary funds for the 

 provision of seed and ginning machinery, and to guarantee- 

 farmers that they will buy from them, gin, pack, and put on. 

 the Manchester market, all cotton which can be grown during- 

 the coming season. 



The Rhodesia Agricultural Journal for October states 

 that the experiments conducted this year in Rhodesia irk 

 connexion with the cultivation of cotton were extremely 

 disappointing, resulting for the most part in total failure^ 

 This was mainly due to late planting and early frosts in May. 

 In this respect the season was exceptional, but in any case it 

 would appear that the localities best suited to cotton are at 

 present too remote from railway communication, and too 

 sparsely settled, for this crop to make much headway The 

 (juestion of the cost of production and the availability of 

 .sufficient cheap labour for picking still remains open to doubt, 

 not only in Pvhodesia, l)ut in other parts of South Africa; and 

 the expansion of the cotton-growing industry is consequentljr 

 slow. 



* Private terms. 



