THE AGKICULTUKAL NEWS. 



Jakuaey 8, 1910. 



WEST INDIAN COTTON. 



Messrs. Wolstenholme and Holland, of Liverpool, 

 write as follows, under date December 20, with reference 

 to the sales of West Indian Sea Island cotton : — 



About 40 bales Barbados Sea Island cotton have been 

 sold since our last report, chiefly at IS'i., with one superior 

 lot at 19'i. 



The market is firm for Sea Island descriptions, owing to 

 the high price ruling for Egyptian: had it not been for the 

 firmne.ss of the latter gro^tth, we think Sea Islands would 

 have ruled rather easier. 



Sea Islands are undoubtedly relatively cheaper, but 

 there are very few consumers who can substitute them for 

 the best Egyptian. 



The report of ilessrs. Wolstenholme and Holland 

 for December 6, was as follows: — 



Since our last report, about 20 bales of Larbados Sea 

 Lsland cotton have been sold at 17 ^d., and 10 bales Xevis 

 at 16|rf. 



Sea Island cotton is rather easier in price in Charleston 

 and Savannah. The best Floridas can be obtained at about 

 15;V'. to 16(1; on the other hand, Egyptian cotton has risen 

 very considerably, which makes all descriptions of Sea Islands 

 look comparatively reasonable. 



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

 Sea Island cotton in the Southern States, for the week 

 ending December 18, is as follows: — 



The sales this week consisted of 250 bales of cotton, the 

 poorest in stock, at 30c., for England, and a crop lot of 15 

 bales Extra Extra at 52c., for France. Otherwise the market 

 was quiet and unchanged, with factors continuing to hold for 

 their prices, viz.: Fine 33c., Fully Fine 35c., Extra Fine 37c. 

 But as there is no inquiry in the market at these })rices, to 

 effect sales they will probably in time have to lower their 

 views. 



THE COTTON INDUSTRY OF UGANDA. 



The following account of the state of the cotton 

 industry in Uganda is abstracted from a report by the 

 late Governor (Sir H. Hesketh Bell, K.G.M.G), which 

 has been issued as Colonial Reports — Miscellaveous, 

 No. 62:— 



The steady growth of the industry is clearly shown by 

 the table of exports given below. 



If the large quantity of unginned cotton that has been 

 exported from Uganda to be treated in British East Africa 

 had been ginned locally, the figures showing the value of the 

 Protectorate's exports wodld be considerably increased. 



£ 



1904-5, 9 tons ginned cotton worth 236 



1905-(3, 43 tons ginned cotton „ 1,089 



1906-7, 175 tons ginned cotton ,, 6,292 



1907-8, 645 tons ginned and 213 tons 



unginned cotton ,, 49,690 



1908-9, 512 tons ginned and 640 tons 



unginned cotton ,, 41,223 



Up to the middle of 1907, there seemed to be no cause 

 for anything but congratulation as regards the progress of 

 the cotton industry in Uganda. It soon became apparent, 

 however, tliat all was not as it should be. On August 2, 

 1907, the Chairman of the British Cotton Growing Associ- 

 ation addressed a letter to the Colonial Office drawing 

 attention to the possibility of serious deterioration in the 

 quality of Uganda cotton. He pointed out that the depreci- 

 ation in the value of Indian cotton had been mainly due to 

 the mixture of varieties, and doubted whether adequate 

 measures were being taken in Uganda to guard .ngainst 

 similar results. On my return to Uganda in November 1907, 

 I made careful enquiry into the points raised by the Chairman 

 of the British Cotton Growing Association, and found that 

 the eventuality to which he had drawn attention was already 

 declaring itself. Competition among local buyers had become 

 so keen that almost any kind or quality of raw cotton was 

 being purchased. The natives found that dirty, and even 

 badly .stained, produce was worth money, and their natural 

 indolence .speedily took advantage of the fact. Unsatisfactory 

 reports began to be received from Manchester as to the 

 quality of the cotton that was coming from Uganda, and 

 prices began to fall. 



But the most serious charge that began to be made 

 against Uganda cotton was the reproach of 'mixture'. The 

 distribution of all the different varieties of seed that had 

 marked the early and experimental stages of the industry 

 was beginning to have effect. The cotton that was coming 

 to market was found to be of all sorts and descriptions. Bales 

 of ginned lint contained American, Egyptian, Peruvian and 

 various other varieties all hopelessly mixed up. Short staples 

 and long staples were being ginned together in a reckless 

 manner, and it was evident that the causes which were 

 responsible for the depreciated value of Indian-grown cotton 

 were beginning to have full plaj- in Uganda. It soon became 

 apparent that the industry which had been marked by such 

 phenomenal progress was in danger of a serious check, if 

 not of ruin. 



In November 1907, as a result of careful enquiry into the 

 situation, I invited all the principal parties who were locally 

 interested in cotton to meet me in conference, .so that reason- 

 able measures might be devised for the protection of the 

 industry. It was unanimously agreed that the situation 

 demanded strong and immediate action. I venture here to 



