54 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



February 20, 1909. 



WEST INDIAN COTTON. 



Messrs. Wolsrenhnliije ijc Holland, of Liverpool, 

 write as follows on Feliniary 1, with reference to the 

 sales of West Indian Sea Island cotton : — 



Since our last rcjjort there has been rather more enquiry 

 for West Intlian Sea Islands, and about 300 bags have been 

 sold, including :Montserrat, ]-2hd. to \Ud.- St. Kitt's, ISld.; 

 Barbados, 13Arf. to 14(/.; Nevis, 12-Jd to 13hd., and a few bags 

 from St. Vincent at lohd. The sales also include about 60 

 bags of ' stains ' from various islands at 6|(/. to 7^d. 



American Sea Island crop lots are still pressed for sale 

 at I'M. to Hd., which prevents any improvement in the 

 market. 



COTTON MARKET IN THE SEA 

 ISLANDS. 



There appears to he little change in the conditions 

 ■of the market for cotton from the Sea Islands. 

 A steady demand for odd bags at practically the same 

 prices as were reported a fortnight ago, is the chief 

 feature. Planters' crop lots, it is reported, are being 

 held for higher prices. For the fortnight ended 

 January 23, sales amounting to 750 bales were 

 reported from Charleston. In their fortnightly report, 

 dated January 30 last, Messrs. Henry W. Frost & Co. 

 v^'rite : — 



The receipts tor the |iast fortnight consisted largely of 

 portions of crop lots. Receipts of odd bags have been very 

 light, since cotton of this kind has nearly all been marketed. 

 There continues an active demand for the small daily receipts 

 of this kind, at prices of from 14c. jier Iti. for 'stains, ' up to 

 23c. per lb. for ' fully fine ' quality. The stock in hand 

 <;nn.sists of ))lanters' crop lots, which are held for [)rices of 

 24c. and upwuids. 



COTTON AT BARBADOS. 



A mcmoran<lum has been received from the 

 Superintendent of Agriculture at Barbados (Mr. John K. 

 Bovell, I.S.O.) showing thi' area of Sea Island cotton 

 grown in the island during the year 190.S (January to 

 December). The total area planted with the crop was 

 5,7f)84 acres. Of this, .5,l(i2| acres was new cotton, i.e., 

 cotton j>lant('d during the yeai', while (jKiJ, acres con- 

 sisted of ratoon cotton. 



Some cotton \va.s grown in ail the i)ari.shes of the island, 

 St. Phili]) and Christ Church having the largest areas, 

 with 2,023i and 1,.")34 acres respectively. In St. Andrew's 

 jjarish only 26J acres were planted. 



It will be observed tliat ratoon cotton was again thrown 



to a fairly considerable extent at Barbados last year, appar- 

 ently with the object of supplementing the short yields of 

 the previous season. This sulyect has lieen discussed in past 

 numbers of the A;iricultiira/ Xci'-s, and taking into considera- 

 tion the quality of the lint produced, and its effect on the 

 price of the consignment in which it is included, planters 

 have been strongly urged not to ratoon their cotton. 

 !Mr. C. M. Wolstenholme, of Liverpool, in a letter written to 

 Sir Daniel Morris in 190-5, condemned the practice of ratoon- 

 ing cotton plants, and pointed out its bad effects on the 

 produce. 



Samples of ratoon cotton lint were .some time ago 

 examined at this Department, and the truth r)f Mi-. Wolsten- 

 liolnie's .statements were very apparent, since the fibres were 

 poor in quality, and especially lacking in strength. 



In the Aiiriridtvral Xews of September 9, 190.5 

 (Vol. IV, p. 278), Mr. Bovell suggested a .suitable 

 rotation of crops for land on which cotton was grown at 

 Barbados, by the adoption of which it was pointed out that 

 ratooning of the cotton crop would be avoided. This rotation 

 was as follows : — sugar-cane, sweet potatos, cotton, and Indian 

 corn, and then sugar-canes again connnencing the rotation 

 anew. The cotton planted after the sweet potatos have been 

 removed, should, it is jiointed out, remain in the ground until 

 about the end of M?.y, when the plants .should be pulled up 

 and Indian corn .sown. In this way, as has been so frequently 

 demonstrated, all cotton plants ati'ected with scale in.seets and 

 other pests would be destroyed before the planting season 

 again comes on, thus preventing any likelihood of the young 

 cotton becoming infected from the old crop. 



SEASONABLE COTTON NOTES. 



The wot Weather that was generally experienced 

 ill many of the West Indian islands during December 

 was not favourable to the first pickings of cotton, and 

 the lint proved to be more or less damaged in some 

 cases. Rain, however, «as badly needt-d, and the 

 supply of moisture thus afforded, followed by the fine 

 weather of January and February, has encouraged the 

 development of a good second crop, and the pickings 

 that have lately been made are stated to be very satis- 

 factory in character. From Jlontserrat the report 

 comes that, despite the cyclone experienced in October 

 last, which di(i considerable damage at the time to 

 trees and cultivated crops, the cotton yield for this 

 season is expected to prove a record (uie. 



In view of the present low ])rice for eollon, planters 

 should .see that sperial care is exorcised in ginning and 

 grading operation.-^, ito that the lint may be placed on the 

 market in the most advantageous condition. Cotton that 

 i.s at all damp should be sunned and dried before V)eing .~ent 



