92 



THE AGRICULTUKAL NEWS. 



January 22, 1910. 



WEST INDIAN COTTON. 



Messrs. Wolstenholuie and Holland, of Liverpool, 

 write as follows, under date January 3, with reference 

 to the sales of West Indian Sea Island cotton : — 



Since our last report, about 60 bags of West Indian Sea 

 Island cotton liave been sold; chiefly Barbados and St. Kitts 

 at 18ifZ., with a few of the latter at 19rf. 



Prices are generally about Id. per ft. dearer and there is 

 a good demand at present rates, though at 19hd to '20d. 

 American Sea Island is offering in quantity, without much 

 business passing. 



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

 Sea Island cotton in the Southern States, for the week 

 ending January 1, is as follows: — 



The sales were officially reported this weelc as only 2-50 

 bales, composed of cotton more or less off in preparation, such 

 as factors were willing to dispose of at .30c., and such lots of 

 Fine and Fully Fine as could be secured outside of the 

 Exchange at 32 to 34c. The Exchange are continuing to 

 hold for their prices, viz: Fine 33c., Fully Fine 3.5c., and Extra 

 Fine 37c. The crop lots are held at 40c., and upwards, but 

 with no inquiry as yet for them. 



THE SIXTH INTERNATIONAL COTTON 



CONGRESS. 



A voluminous report has just been issued, of the 

 Sixth International Congress of Delegated Eepresenta- 

 'tives of Master Cotton Spinners' and Manufacturers' 

 Associations. A brief summary of the contents of this 

 report kas been furnished by the Chairman (Mr. C. W. 

 Macara) of the Committee of the International Federa- 

 tion of Master Cotton Spinners' and Manufacturers' 

 Associations, from which the following extracts are 

 taken: — 



The Sixth Internationa! Cotton Congress was held in 

 !Milan last May, and was attended by delegates from the 

 principal cotton-u.sing countries in Europe, Asia and America. 

 In addition to the records of the debates, there are included 

 in the report many valuable papers contributed by delegates 

 from the countries represented, which wil! prove of the 

 greatest interest to everyone engaged in the cotton trade. 



Prior to the Congress in Milan, meetings of tlie Com- 

 mittee of the International Cotton Federation were held in 

 Eome, and the visit to that city was the occasion of the first 

 joint conference with the members of the Permanent Com- 

 mittee of the International Institute of Agriculture. At that 



Conference a remarkable address, explanatory of the work of 

 the International Institute of Agriculture, was delivered by 

 Count Faina, its President, and this address is included in 

 the report. About four years ago, this Institute was initiated 

 by the King of Italy. The building in which the work i.s 

 carried on was erected at His Majesty's personal cost, and 

 was formally opened last year. The Committee of the 

 International Cotton Federation has taken an active interest 

 in the promotion of the Institute from its inception, and has, 

 through its member.s, done much to enlist the support of the 

 governments of the countries they represent, in contributing 

 to the annual cost of carrying on the work of the Institute. 

 At present the attention of the Permanent Committee 

 of the International Institute of Agriculture is being specially 

 devoted to the two important staples— wheat and cotton. 

 Great difficulties in establishing a uniform method of contri- 

 buting data have been encountered, but when these are 

 overcome, the reliability of the information which will 

 emanate from the Institute cannot fail to be of the greatest 

 service to mankind. 



The International Cotton Federation, which, as is well 

 known, was established in 1904, to deal with the crisis of 

 that year, has since been working to bring the cotton 

 interests of the world into line. 



The two international organizations work along similar 

 lines, and a close bond of sympathy unites them in their 

 work. Along with the statistical returns of the annual 

 con.sumption of cotton, and of the half-yearly returns of the 

 raw material in spinners' hands, which have been issued for 

 some years by the International Cotton Federation, there 

 will be published, in time, statistics collected by the Inter- 

 national Institute of Agriculture giving authentic informa- 

 tion on the condition, growth and .supply of cotton and 

 other textile staples in all parts of the world. 



Among the other matters dealt with by the Inter- 

 national Cotton Federation may be cited the following: the 

 expansion of the present cotton fields, and the opening up of 

 new ones in any part of the world in which this can be done 

 with success, and thus to broaden the area of supply; the more 

 scientific cultivation of the raw material: improvements in 

 the ginning, b.-iling, warehousing and transport of cotton, 

 especially American cotton, by which large savings can be 

 effected: the international standardization of grades of cotton- 

 reforms in the marketing of cotton (a new net-weight 

 contract has been formulated and adopted): .schemes for the 

 regulation of the supply of the raw material, and for dealing 

 with temporary overproduction of manufactures; mill fire 

 insurance problems: and the perfecting of organization both 

 national and international. 



Finally, the International Cotton Federation is responsi- 

 ble for the present organized short time running, throughout 



