390 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



December 11, 1909. 



WEST INDIAN COTTON. 



Messrs. Wolstenholine and Holland, of Liverpool, 

 ■write as follows, under date November 22, with reference 

 to the sales of West Indian Sea Island cotton : — 



Since our last report, American Sea Island cotton has 

 eased a little in price, and probably Fully Fine. Island 

 could be jiurcba.sed at 18-ic^., and the best Floridas at 16'?.; 

 but buyers are not anxious to add to their stocks, even at 

 these figures. 



A small lot of St. Croix West Indian has been sold 

 at 17irf. 



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

 Sea Island cotton in the Southern States, for the week 

 ending November 20, is as follows: — ■ 



The market has been very quiet throughout the week, 

 with apparently no demand. The sales were limited to 

 a small crop of Extra Extra, viz: 10 bales Ideal, at 75c., on 

 account of a French spinner. The receipts were 1,1.52 bales, 

 consequently the stock for sale is increasing, yet notwith- 

 standing this, the factors are refusing to make any concession 

 from their asking prices, viz: Extra Fine 37c., Fully Fine 3.5e., 

 Fine 33c. However, with orders in hand for cjuantity, we 

 think Ave could buy at some decline. 



WEST INDIAN COTTON GROWING. 



A special session of the Council of the British Cotton 

 Growing Association was held on September 1-1, 1909, for 

 the purpose of meeting the Imperial Commissioner of Agri- 

 culture for the West Indies. Since then, an account of the 

 proceedings that took place at that meeting has been issued 

 in the form of a i)aniiihlet (No. 35, October 1909) by the 

 British Cotton Orowing Association. 



Dr. Watts, after introduction by the Chairman, Sir 

 Alfred L. Jones, K.C.M.G., proceeded to review the position 

 of alfairs in the AVest Indies, stating that the high prices 

 which had ruled for Sea Island cotton two or three years ago 

 had caused a number of planters to take up the industry 

 under conditions which had been shown to be unfavourable, 

 and not conducive to success. Prices had been low during 

 the j)ast season, and he hojied that they were below normal, 

 so that a chance of their being higher in the future would be 

 given. Another untoward circumstance had been that, during 

 the past two .seasons, the crop had been planted late perforce, 

 on account of the lack of rain during the period July to 

 October. Notwithstanding these vicissitudes, he was of 

 opinion that cotton growing in the AVost Indies is an 

 established industry. 



Particulars of the position of affairs in regard to cotton 

 in each island were then given by Dr. Watts. These showed 

 that th(^ induBtry was in ihe- most flourishing condition, and 



the outlook mcjst hopeful, in St. Vincent, St. Kitts, and fche 

 ^'irgin Islands. The prospects were al.so good in Montserrat, 

 if the fluctuation in progress, resulting from the rapid growth 

 of the industry, could be avoided; and in Antigua, Barbadcs, 

 Nevis and Anguilla, if the seasons were favourable. The 

 present conditions in Antigua and Barbados were somewhat 

 similar; these, with a better knowledge of the means of com- 

 bating insect pests, in the former island, and with an 

 increased recognition of the value of cotton as a crop for 

 riddmg sugar lands from certain di-seases, in the latter, 

 .should improve. The unfortunate experience of planters in 

 Nevis had not led to their final discouragement, and it was 

 hoped that, with the attempt to revive the sugar industry, 

 the two crops would become mutually helpful. With regard 

 to Anguilla, a debt was due to the As.sociation for the assis- 

 tance rendered by it to this island — assistance which had 

 caused it to become practically self-supporting, and to attain 

 a position that it had not occupied for the last tifty vears. 

 In the Virgin Islands, the special conditions consei/uent on 

 land being in the hands of the peasants had caused interest- 

 ing developments to take place. The lack of persons of 

 substance who could aid the pea.sant in [ilacing his cotton on 

 the market had caused the Government, through the Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture, to take the unusual course of buying, 

 grading, pooling, ginning, and exporting the small lots that 

 are brought in week by week by the )>easants— a policy that 

 had ]:iroved itself worthy of adojition. 



After drawing attention to the importance of the 

 establishment of sound relations between producer and 

 buyer, and tn the good work that had been done by the Associa- 

 tion in this direction, Dr. Watts proceeded to consider 

 three phases of the work in connexion with cotton produc- 

 tion. In the first instance, the planter himself required 

 advice as to the kind of cotton that he should grow, the way 

 in which he will be likely to sell it to the best advantage, and 

 what demand there is for the product. The Department of 

 Agriculture, secondly, had to answer these questions as far as 

 possible, to supply seed, if neces.sary, and, generally, to help 

 the planter to overcome any agricultural ditliculties. In the 

 third l)lace, the work of the British Cutton ( i rowing .Associa- 

 tion had especial reference to furnishing the Department 

 with certain portions of the int'orination which the planter 

 may re(|uiro, and to securing the sale of cotton under the 

 most favourable conditions. In reviewing these phases of 

 the work. Dr. Watts made reference to the valuable aid 

 given by the Association, sjiecially mentioning the names of 

 Jfessrs. Wolstenholnie and Oliver, and spoke highly of the 

 way in which the Department is assisted in the experimental 

 work by planters. 



After a discussion, in which the chief points raised were 

 the levying of export taxes on cotton .shipped from where it 

 was grown, the advisability of the introduction of new 



