86 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



March 19, 1910. 



• WEST INDIAN COTTON. 



Messrs. Wolstenholtne and Holland, of Liverpool, 

 ■write as follows, under date February 28, with reference 

 to the sales of West Indian Sea Island cotton : — 



During the past fortnight West Indian Sea Islands have 

 been in good request, and prices are hardening. 



The sales amount to about 1.50 bales, and consist of 

 Montserrat l^id to 19(?., Harbados ll'rf. to 19irf., St. Kitts 

 ixd. to 20^, Xevis 19rf. to iOrf., Tobago and Aiiguilla at 19(7. 



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

 Sea Island cotton in the Southern States, for the week 

 ending February 19, is as follows: — • 



During the pa.st week the factors showed more disposition 

 to sel],_ and consented to make some concession in price, pro- 

 vided they could sell largely, as the planters were desirous of 

 disposing of the cotton, so as to settle their accounts, and to 

 make preparation for the planting of the next crop. This 

 resulted in the above large sales on a basis of Fully Fine 

 32c., Extra Fine 33c., the buying being principally for export. 

 Besides, several planters' crop lots have been sold for France 

 at prices ranging from 34 to 37c. The unsold stock is now 

 reduced to about 1,.500 bales, of which about 1,000 bales are 

 planters' crop lots held at 40 to -SOc. 



THE PREPARATION OF LAND FOR 



COTTON PLANTING. 



It should be a well recognized fact, by now, that all old 

 cotton must be removed from the land as early as possible, if 

 the best approach to immunity from pe.sts, in succeeding 

 crops, is to be obtained. To leave the old cotton in the field 

 until just before the new crop is planted is a mistaken policy, 

 as it has been well proved that such action does not effect 

 much in minimizing the risks of infection of the succeeding 

 plants. (See Agricultural News, Yol. VIII, p. 312.) A good 

 method for destroying old cotton is given in the A'/rirn/tur'tl 

 A\'ii:% Vol. VIII, p. 166. It consists in pulling up alternate 

 lots of six rows in extent, leaving them to dry for a few days, 

 and then taking out the cotton that is left; the green and the 

 dry stems are then burnt together. 



On land where it is intended to plant cotton again, for 

 the next season, there is a further reason for the early removal 

 of the old plants. This consists in the fact that they must 

 be out of the way if the land is to be properly prepared for 

 .sowing the next crop. Such preparation would advantageously 



include the growing and burial of a green dressing crop. In 

 any case, the soil .should be thoroughly well cultivated, and 

 should receive a dressing of a suitable manure. 



In connexion with the question as to what manure is 

 suitable for the purpose, advice on this subject has often 

 been given by the Department. Experiments that have been 

 conducted for the purpose of ascertaining the special manu- 

 rial requirements of cotton in the West Indies have not, so 

 far, given any definite results; it would appear that the 

 different manurial constituents that should be supplied to 

 this plant were present already, in the proper proportions, at 

 the time of its recent introduction, and there is little or 

 nothing to indicate the exhaustion of these. There are, how- 

 ever, two important considerations which will make it evident 

 that the application of manure, or green dressings, is advis- 

 able. The first of these is that, if the soil is to be kept in 

 a good state of tilth, it must be supplied with a certain 

 amount of organic matter. The second consideration is that 

 manuring is net practised for the benefit alone, of the 

 immediately succeeding crop, but that it has a further object, 

 namely, to keep up the fertility of the .soil in a general way; 

 so that the estate on which it is practised may be prevented 

 from ' running down '. These facts lead to the conclusion 

 that land which is intended for cotton should receive a dress- 

 ing of pen manure befoie tillage operations are commenced. 



The amount of tillage required will naturally depend 

 upon the nature of the last crop that was removed from the 

 land. If this was sugar-cane (especially ratoons) or a crop- 

 like corn, much more cultivation will be required than for 

 cotton following ground provisions, such as yams and sweet 

 [(otatos, the reason being that the harvesting of the latter 

 kind of crop entails, in itself, a certain amount of tillage. 



Where the amount of organic manure that is available 

 for application is limited, the employment of artificial 

 manures is necessary. For particulars as to the quantities 

 of these that .should be used, see the Aqriculttiral j\'e>rs, 

 Vol. IV, p. 182, and Pamphlet No. 45, of the Department 

 Series, entitled A J) C of Cotton Planting (enlarged edition). 



The conditions that govern the methods of tillage and 

 manuring will vary in different places, so that the manner of 

 effecting these can only be indicated in a general way. Past 

 experience, however, seems to allow little doubt to exist as to 

 one matter of advice. Land must be ready for planting in. 

 the month of June, and if, during that month, or soon after 

 its end, there is not sufficient rain to warrant the sowing of 

 seed, it is advisable to give up the attenqit to rai.se cotton 

 during that season, and to replace it by some other suitable- 

 crop. 



