182 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



June 11, 1910. 



WEST INDIAN COTTON. 



Messrs. Wolstenholine and Holland, of Liverpool, 

 write as follows, under date May 23, with reference 

 to the sales of West Indian Sea Island cotton : — 



Since our last report, West Indian Sea Islands have been 

 in fair request at steady rates. The sales comprise Barbados, 

 Antigua, St. Kitts, Montserrat and St. Vincent, at prices 

 ranging from 1 6(1. to '22d., the former being for Stains. 



Late advices from America state that considerable 

 replanting has taken place in Georgia, of Upland cotton 

 instead of Sea Lsland, and we therefore expect that next 

 season good prices will rule for West Indian. 



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

 Sea Island cotton in the Southern States, for the week 

 ending May 14, is as follows:— 



For the past fortnight the receipts were only 39 bales, 

 of which 36 bales were common stains, and were sold for 

 France at 16c Otherwise the market has been very quiet, 

 with no demand for the few remaining crop lots, which are 

 still being nominally held at 38c., 40c. and 50c. 



COTTON-GROWING IN ANTIGUA. 



A letter from Mr. H. A. Tempany, B.Sc , Superintend- 

 ent of Agriculture for the Leeward Islands, sliows that, 

 owing to the unfortunate experience with cotton growing in 

 Antigua, in the past, the area planted in the island during 

 the last season has been the smallest since cotton has been 

 grown there (see also A;/ririiltura/ Xtms, Vo\. IX, p. 118). 

 It is estimated, however, that 1.50 bales of '23'j lb. each will 

 be the total output for the past season; this gives a yield of 

 137 Bb. of lint to the acre, which is far in excess of those 

 obtained during the past few years. Mr. Tempany points out 

 that, taking into consideration the circumstance that in some 

 cases the cotton was grown as an intermediate crop between 

 sugar-cane, and only gave one picking, and that in other 

 cases the yield, fur .some unexplained reason, was small, this 

 general yield gives occasion for a certain amount of .satisfactii m, 

 as it tends to indicate that there is a more hopeful outlook 

 for the industry in Antigua. 



The suggestion is made, in view of the fact that cotton 

 has been the means, during the past few years, of adding 

 about £17,000 to the trade of Antigua, and in consideration 

 of the greatly improved yield obtained during the past 

 season, further efforts to revive the industry should be made. 

 This suggestion is supported by the fact that the quality of 

 the cotton produced recently has been good, excellent prices 

 and yields having been obtained by at least two growers. 

 It is of interest that the cotton raised by both of these 

 growers was produced from selected strains of seed, originated 

 by the Antigua Agricultural Department, by the method 



iif selection of suitable plants. It is therefore believed that 

 these better yields ami prices are to a great extent the direct 

 results of the work that has been performed in the matter of 

 selection. It is t^us suggested that the strains of seed origi- 

 nated in this way are suited especially to those parts of the 

 i-sland in which they have been successful. In the case of 

 the two particular strains which have given the best results, 

 one has shown itself superior in the limestone districts of the 

 island, and the other on the heavier volcanic soils, .so that 

 planters will be able to select seed in accordance with the 

 soil conditions which obtain on their respective estates. 



Emphasis is laid on the neces.sity of the selection of all 

 cotton seed before planting, in order that the ([uality of the 

 product may be maintained. This should be conducted on 

 the principle of rejecting all seed which is smooth (without 

 fuzz), or immature, or aborted; that is to say, every seed that 

 is used for planting should be fully grown, and will possess 

 a green tuft of fuzz at one end. 



Attention is drawn to the fact that the principal enemy 

 of the cotton plant in Antigua, at the present time, is the 

 Hower-bud maggot (Contarinia <jossypii), and that early 

 planting has done a great deal to le.ssen the incidence of 

 this pest A possible explanation of this circumstance is 

 provided by the consideration that the warmer weather of 

 October favours the growth of the parasites of this insect, so 

 that the yeung buds forming at that time are protected 

 from its attacks. 



SELECTED ST. VINCENT COTTON SEED. 



A notice has been issued by the St. Vincent Agricultural 

 Department strongly urging cottm growers in that colony 

 to plant carefully selected and disinfected cotton seed, 

 only, in order that the good name and quality of St Vincent 

 cotton may be maintained. 



For the purpose of facilitating the planting of such seed, 

 the Agricultural Department has made arrangements to 

 supply it to small growers at cost jn-ice, and to treat seed 

 for them, if this is desired. Under this .scheme, the follow- 

 ing prices are charged: for selected, tested and disinfected 

 cotton .seed, .5c. per lb.; for selecting and disinfecting growers' 

 own seed, '2c. per Bb.; for selecting only, |-c. per lb.: for disin- 

 fecting only, J-c. per B). If any .seed thus supplied is found 

 to be unsatisfactory, growers are requested to return it within 

 fourteen day.s, for examination. 



If growers in any of the other islands require selected 

 St. Vincent .seed, it will be supplied at Cc. per lb., in addition 

 to the cost of packing and shipping. 



In the event of any applications being received for such 

 seed from foreign countries, it will probably be obtainable at 

 a cost of 24c. per R. 



