THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



.1 \m \k\ 16, 1915. 



COTTON. 



WEST INDIAN COTTON. 



Messrs. WolsteDholrae and Holland, ol Liverpi 

 i as follows, under dal December II. 1914, with 



ace to the sales of West Indian Sea Island 

 cotton: — 



Since our las) report about 30 bags of new crop West 

 Indian Sea Island cotton have bi Id at lid., with 



I 



Tli. report of Messrs, Henry W. Frosl & Co., on 

 Sea Island cotton in the Southern Slates, for the week 

 ended I >• a a bet 19, is as follows: — 



There 1ms been no change to advise in the market this 

 Week. The receipts were 563 bales, but consisted largely of 

 crop lots, against 799 bales lasl year. The demand cot 

 tinues for the offerings ol Extra Pine, with only a limited 

 demand for the ether grades, Fine and Fully Fine. The 

 sales are reported as 224 bales, including a crop lot of 

 45 bales. Factors are refusing to lower their prices for the 

 odd bags, and can only repeal last quotations. The crop 

 h.ts continue to be held much above the views of buyers. 



\\ e quote viz: — 

 Extra Fine 23c.= 13J<f., c.i.f. & 5 per cent. 



Fully Fine 20c. to 21c. = 1 2d tnl-.'W.. ,. ,. ,. „ 



Fine L8c. = llrf. „ ,, „ „ 



Fine off in colour lTe. = \n\ t !. ,, ., ,, 



This report shows that the total exports of Sea 

 Island cotton from the United States to Liverpool, 

 Manchester and Havre, up to December 19, 1914, were 



")(). ('.:>:! and nil bales, respective!} 



COTTON-GROWING COMPETITION IN 

 ST. VINCENT. 



The subjoined report on the results of the com- 

 petitinn in Sea Island cotton growing tor small holders 

 in St. Vincent, in L914, has Ween submitted bj Mr. 

 \Y. N. Sands, ill. Agricultural Superintendent, to His 



II .in tin- Administrator, and forwarded by him to 



ihe [mpenal ( 'omiiiissioiii-r of Agricultun- for the West 

 hides. 



This report shows that prizes of the total value of 



Sli2'0n were awarded to the eleven most successful 



competitors. The Imperial ( Commissioner has expressed 

 In- intention to award also the Diploma of .Merit of the 

 Imperial Departmi nl to each of these prize winners: 



1 have the honour to submit the following report on 

 the Cotton-Growing Competition for prizes, held at Clare 

 Valley Questelles and Linley Vallej estates for the 1914 15 



m. 



The competition was conducted on similar lines to 

 that held in Last season, and had for its object the encourage- 

 ment of the cultivation of Sea Island cotton in the most 

 improved manner. 



Owing to various circumstances the competition was more 

 limited in its i : than last season, and was confined to 



the Leeward estates above named. However, these are 

 i i!,.n i- e\> ultivated 



[n the month of Octobei the plots entered for competi 

 lion were inspected and reported on bj the Assistant 



Agricultural Superintendent, and during November they 

 were finally judged b} me. 



As in the previo . there were two classes ii. 



« lii.h the small holders could compete. 



Class 1: For the best Sea Ulan. I cotton cultivati I 



not less than 1 acre on a small holding over 5, but not 



ding 10 acres. 



Class II For the best Sea Island cotton cultivation ol 

 not less than .', aere on a small holding not exceeding 5 acres. 



There wen twenty-Seven entries, eighteen in Class I and 

 nine in Class 1 1. 



In judging the plots, particular attention was given to 



the following points: Banks formation of and tillage; 



cleanliness of cultivation; thinni ng and staking oi 



plants; evidence of manuring with pen manure, green dress 

 ing, or compost; formation and upkeep of drains; nature ol 

 intercropping methods; condition of plants in respect of pi 

 and diseases; general conditi E ci 



It was wn gratifying to observe that the lessons of 

 last season had been well learnt in most cases, for not only 

 did the plots entered for competition obtain a much higher 

 average percentage of marks, but the beneficial influence of 

 the advice and instruction given last season was to be seen 

 in the improved condition of the cultivation in general. 



T recommend that the following awards be made: 



CLARE \ VLLEY QUESTELLES. 



CLASS I. 



UN I. FA YALLF.i INSTATES. 



N. Hamilton 87 per cent. 2nd prize 



E. Williams 82 „ „ 3rd .. 



8 500 

 $ 300 



In Class II, Linley Valley Estates, no first prize is 

 recommended. 



It was unfortunate that the excellent plots shown at 

 1 . 1 1 1 1 1 • \ Valley by Jeremiah Providence and Patrick McKenzie 

 were under the acreage required for Class 1, and had to l» 

 disqualified. 



Fly Larvae in Horse Manure may be effeetivelj 

 and economically destroyed by the use of commercial borax. 

 According to Bulletin No. 118 of the Bureau of Entomology, 

 United States Department of Agriculture, the application 

 of 0'62 lh. of borax to each 1" cubic fei i of horse manure was 

 found to kill egg h d larvae, and it was also found that in 

 the case of many cr. .p.- the addition of this amount of borax 

 was n..t detrimental u lien the manure was applied to the land 



In order to prevent the hat chine of the eggS, the borax should 



he applied to the horse manure immediately ii is removed 

 from the stable. Th e about the edge of 



the manure pile, and on this ace. .ma most of the borax should. 

 be applied in 1 1 1 i - situ ition. 



