2C2 



THE AORICUTURAL NEWS. 



August 16, 1913. 



WEST INDIAN COTTON. 



Messrs. Wolaieiiholiiie and Holland, of Liverpool, 

 write as follows, under date July 2(3, with reference 

 to the sales of West Indian Sea Island cotton : — 



Since our last report about 100 bales of St. Vincent cot- 

 ton have been sold; these include the best qualities, chiefly 

 from '2id. to 28rf., and Stains from \'2hd. to 11 hd. Holders 

 «re rather pressing sales and buyers, having no immediate 

 requirements, are only purchasing to stock on distinct 

 concessions. 



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

 Sea Island cotton in the Southern States, for the week 

 ending July 2(i, is as follows: — 



The market remains dull, without any sales, and we can 

 only repeat out last quotations. 



AVe quote, viz.: 

 Extra Fine 28c. to 29c. = \Qd. to \6hd. c.i.f., & 5 per cent. 

 Fully Fine 26c. to 27c. = Ufd. to 1.5^^. „ „ „ „ 

 Fine 25c. = 14Jd „ „ „ „ 



?^^'"^^'°':.°*|24c.to26c. = 13Htol4U„ „ „ „ 

 in preparation I ^ „ . .. . 



Fully Fine off I ^^ = 12W 



in preparation J 



Fine off in ^^^ ^ ^^^j 



■preparation J 



This report shows that the total exports of Sea 

 Island cotton from the United States to Liverpool, 

 Manchester and Havre, up to July 2(i, 1913, were 2,977 

 "bales, 7,3.S1 bales, and 4,770 bales, respectively. 



been an awakening to the existence of that must important 

 factor provided by nature for reducing insect pests, namely, 

 the work nf insectivorous birds. The protection of these 

 avian benefactors is a thing all tropical countries should 

 look to, before it is too late * It has been remarked that 

 it is only within the last few years, following the almost com- 

 plete e-xtinction of the species of native insectivoious bird 

 (the white egret or crane) said to have been particularly par- 

 tial to the chrysalis of the cotton worm, that this insect ha.s 

 obtained its present dangt-rons maaniludf. Hence the l''gyp- 

 tian Government have issued stringent laws which are pub- 

 lished and placarded in every public pNce, protecting not 

 nnly egrets, but every insectivorous bird, such as larks, 

 plover, bee-eaters, wood-peckers, etc., and have established 

 breeding depots for the egrets. 



D1S1'0S..VL OF i.KOPS. 



Most of the cotton crops belonging to the large propriet- 

 ors is bought as it stands by the big cotton firms — English, 

 Grecian and German; but the small landowners sell their 

 cotton in the villages to native or Greek merchants, who ia 

 turn transport it in big sacks containing 300 lb. by camel, 

 cart and canal boat to the various ginneries owned by Greeks 

 and natives, which are scattered all about the country. 



EGYPTIAN COTTON DETERIORATING. 



The deputation of the World's Cotton Spinners which 

 visited Egj'pt lately, are said to have been very impressed 

 by the advanced methods of cultivation in vogue, but 

 pointed out that Egypian cotton was undoubtedly deteriora- 

 ting, owing partly to soil exhaustion, and partly to the fact 

 that not enough attention is paid to keeping up the standard 

 of seed. To this the cultivators replied, that if the buyers 

 would pay a higher price, they (the cultivators) would expend 

 more time and money in correcting these faults. 



COTTON IN EGYPT. 



In continuation from the last issue of the Agricultural 

 H'eu's, of this abstract of a paper written by the Superinten- 

 dent of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Feradeniya, Ceylon, the 

 following information concerning insects pests and various 

 economic matters should prove of equal interest. 



IX.SKf;T PESTS. 



The existence of insect pests is said to constitute the 

 «reat danger to Egypt's cotton. Firstly, there is the cotton 

 ■worm, which makes its appearance in the early stages and 

 devours all the young leaves. The difficulty in combating 

 this pest is that the caterpillar lives on the clover during the 

 ■winter, and the clover is absolutely essential to the fellah for 

 feeding his cattle during the winter months when no other 

 green fodder is available — thus the .supply of caterpillars 

 from this source cannot be cut off. The picking off and 

 burning of the insects or th« eggs deposited on the leaves 

 is, so far, the only successful measure adopted. 



The next most serious pest is the boll worm, and this is 

 atill more diflicult to deal with, inasmuch as it is not so con- 

 spicuous an insect as the cotton worm. There are also 

 several minor pests such as the aphis and the cut worm. 



Against all these pests the Government are said to be 

 -taking the most energetic preventive measures. There baa 



Recent Interesting Announcements. — A letter 

 has been received from the Chief .Secretary to the iioyal 

 Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, in which 

 it is announced that the Council has decided to otfer a prize 

 of £100 for the most practical! and useful type of horse shoe 

 that will provide the animal with a satisfactory footing upoo 

 roadways. The merits of the competing devices will be 

 judged mainly on the provision of a satisfactory and non- 

 slipping foothold, the redaction in the amount of damage 

 caused to roads, and the general practicability of a shoe 

 capable of general manufacture, reasonable life, moderate 

 cost and similar considerations. Particulars may be obtained 

 from the Chief Secretary of the Society at 105 Jermyn Street, 

 London, S.W. 



A letter has also been received in which information 

 is presented regarding the Kentia palm seed industry. 

 It is announced that the f iovernment of New South Wales 

 has now taken over the management and the control of the 

 industry, and it is now free from that monopoly and unsettled 

 condition which existed previously, and which was calculated 

 to deter English and continental nurserymen and others from 

 sending orders to agents located in Australia. 



A further communication of interest is one from the 

 British South Africa Co. in which it is stated that a shipment 

 of wool from Rhodesia was offered during May for sale in the 

 public auction room, and, in spite of competition, seld at good 

 prices. 



■•Considerable attentio* has recently been given to this 

 iiuention in Brittish Guiana. See Insect Motes in current 

 insue p. 266. (Ed. ^.N.] 



