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THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



Maf-.h l.j, 1913. 



WEST INDIAN COTTON. 



Messrs. Wolstenholme and Holland, of Liverpool, 

 ■write as follows, under dace February 24, with reference 

 *o the sales of West Indian Sea Island cotton : — 



Since our last report a moderate business has been done 

 in West Indian 8ea Island cotton and prices remain quite 

 steady. The sales amount to about 220 bales including 

 Barbados 19'?., Nevis IS./, to 19'?., a few Montserr.t IS^'?, 

 Antigua 19(?. to 20c?., St Kitts 17if?. to 20(;?., St Vincent 

 22cf. to ■2M. and Stains 9d. to lOd. ' 



Holders of American Sea Islands continue to press sales 

 and are encouraging 21(?. for the finest crop lots. All lower 

 qualities are very unsaleable, owing to the competition of 

 Sakellarides. 



The report of Messrs. Henry W. Frost & Co., on 

 Sea Island cotton in the Southern States, for the week 

 finding February 22, is as follows: — 



The sales for the week consisted of the 150 bales Fully 

 'Fine and Extra Fine reported in our last and a further 

 50 bales of the same grades, and the following Planters' 

 •Crop Lots, viz : the \V. G. Hinson/Stiles PT. 35 bales, 

 30 bales of the Jos. T. Dill crop at .JSc. and 30 bales 

 Jiellevue/Lawton at 31c. 



There is still some inquiry for the Planters' crops, which 

 may in time result in further sales. Otherwise the market 

 IS quiet. The ofiering stock of odd bags con.sists almost 

 entirely of off and tinged cotton, which Factors are anxious 

 io sell and would make .some concessions to do so. 



We quote, viz: — 



Extra Fine 28c. to 29c. = 16cf. to ItJW. c.i.f., & 5 per cent. 

 Fully Fine 26c. to 27c. = 14frf. to ISJrf. 

 Fine 25c. 



Extra Fine offl .,- 

 in preparation / " 



Fully Fine off) ^.-^ 

 in preparation/ 

 Fine off in ) .-, 

 preparation J 



2c. 

 20c. 



= U\d. 



= lild. 



= 12U 

 = lUd. 



This report shows that the total exports of .Sea 

 Island cotton from the United States to Liverpool, 

 jMaiichester and Havre, to February 22, 1913, were nil, 

 ^353 bales, and 3,302 bales, respectively. 



Parasites of the Cotton Worm.— Mr. W. I. 



HuWell, Agricultural Instructor, Xevi.s, writing to the 

 Imperial Commissioner of Agriculture, states that the pupae 

 of the cotton worm are very heavily parasitized in that island. 

 The parasite, which on e-xamination proves to be 

 a species of the genus Chalcis, is stated to occur generally 

 throughout the island, while in some localities the percentage 

 of pupae attacked is stated to be as high as 75. 



These notes are of interest as showing the abundance 

 of a parasite, when as in this instance the host insect has 

 been unusually prevalent. The cotton worm has occurred 

 in enormous numbers in Nevis during the season now draw- 

 ing to a close, and in consequence of the food thus provided, 

 it is to be expected that the natural enemies of this pest, 

 of which the Chalcis mentioned above is but one, would 

 increase greatly in numbers, and as a result, the attacks of 

 the cotton worm ought to be very much less severe next 

 season than they have been during the present. 



Branching Habits of Egyptian Cotton.— The 



EjLjicri lite lit ,'<t:ifi'un Rei-md for December 1912, contains aa 

 account of recent work in .America on the branching habits, 

 the location of branches and the development of fruiting 

 branches in Kgypt'an cotton plants. It is pointed out that 

 the Egyptian cotton plant bears two kinds of branches, long 

 vegetative branches on the lower part of the stem bearing no 

 flower buds directly, and above these shorter fruiting 

 branches which give rise to flower buds. The vegetative 

 branches are usually about as long as the main stem, and 

 although they do not themselves bear flower buds, they 

 nevertheless produce secondary fruiting branches which are 

 about one-third as long as the vegetative branches. The 

 fruiting branches bear a flowering bud at each node, opposite 

 the leaf. It is stated that from six to eight large vegetative 

 branches are usually produced from the first ten nodes of the 

 main axis, and that at the next two or three noiles the buds 

 frequently remain dormant or ate abortive, whilst above 

 these, a fruiting branch is produced at each node. 



Everything points to an excellent cotton season in 

 Egypt this year. One feature of interest is that the gin- 

 ning factory at Suakin has been 'enlarged and the machinery 

 improved, with the result that considerably more cotton was 

 ginned and baled than ever before. Also, several steamers 

 called at Suakin, and consignments of Tokar cotton were 

 shipped direct at the same charge as used to be paid for 

 shipments to Alexandria. It is probable the same thing 

 will take place this year with the 1911-12 crop. (From 

 Diplomatic and Consular B'^oria, No. 5020 Annual Series.) 



