Vol. IX. No. 21.3. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



199 



further extensions will be made in Xortliern Nigeria and 

 Nyasaland. As regards the iiiovision, by the A.ssociation, 

 of hydraulic baling presses, lour of these are doing good 

 work in Nigeria, and extensions are being made at Kisuniu, on 

 Lake Victoria, and in Nyasaland. It is proposed to erect 

 presses in each colony, as soon as the output of cotton 

 justifies the expenditure, which will be available for use by 

 all jilanters, and by means of which freight charges will be 

 considerably lowered. 



Attention is drawn to the fact that the necessity for the 

 scientific develojiment of agricultural matters, especialh^ of 

 cotton in the tropical colonies, has been brought continuallj' 

 before the British Government by the Council of the Associa- 

 tion. The statement is made that, although the Council 

 does not pretend to the possession of scientific knowledge, it 

 is 'convinced of the absolute necessity of some central 

 authority, which can advise and direct all who contemplate 

 the cultivation or development of tropical products, and 

 which can collect, collate, and disseminate valuable informa- 

 tion, which is being obtained every day from various parts of 

 the Empire '. An expression is made of the recognition of 

 the fact that, owing to the representations of the Council, the 

 Ciovernmer.t has appointed a Scientific Committee for these 

 very purposes, I'Ut this is regarded merely as a preliminary 

 step toward the large development of the scheme. 



In dealing with the West Indies, the rejiort draws 

 attention to the fact of the succession »f Dr. Francis Watts, 

 C.M.O, to Sir Daniel Morris, K.C.M.O., as Imperial Com- 

 missioner of Agriculture. Ileferring to the reduction in 

 the area of cotton in the West Indies, it is stated that this is 

 not altogether unsatisfactory, as it has been shown that cotton 

 cultivation cannot be taken up without seiious attention to 

 its needs, with the result that the industry has been placed 

 on a sounder basis, which provides hoi)es of steady extension 

 year by year. It is also stated that there is no doubt that the 

 demand for high-class cotton will continue to grow, and the 

 report goes on to say: 'it is therefore all the more necessary 

 to encourage its growth in the few countries where the 

 cultivation of Sea Island cotton is possible. This is the 

 more es.sential, in view of the probability of the boll weevil 

 reaching the .Atlantic States in a very few years. So far, the 

 only method discovered, of fighting this curse, is by planting 

 early maturing varieties, so that the cro[i can be gathered 

 before the ravages of the boll weevil become serious. Unfork- 

 unately, most of the early maturing varieties are short in 

 staple.' 



After dealing with West Africa, the Gold Coast and 

 Lagos, the report states that the production of cotton near 

 Illushi, Southern Nigeria, does not advance as rapidly as 

 could be wished. The quality of the cotton, however, is 

 excellent, and it is fortunate that the abandonment of this 

 centre was prevented by a grant of £10,000 per annum from 

 the Imperial Government, so that the Council has been able 

 to make arrangements for the continuation of the work in 

 this district for a further period of three years. 



The report goes on to give particulars of the industry in 

 Northern Nigeria, I'ritish East Africa and Uganda. In con- 

 nexion with the last-mentioned place, it is stated that, owing 

 to the great competition among cotton buyers, prices are 

 bciri.i; paid to the native grower whicli leave little margin for 

 profit to the buyers, so that, ultimately, the price in Uganda 

 will have to be reduced, with the possibility that the native 

 producer will cease to plant cotton. The Council suggests 

 that the best policy, under these and similar conditions, is for 

 the buyers to fix the highest possible price that can be main 

 tained over a series of years. 



As regards Nyasaland, a most successful year is report- 

 ed. It appears, however, that in lihodesia the position is not 

 entirely satisfactory, and that better results will probably be 

 obtained, eventually, by encouraging native cultivation, than 

 by growing plantation cotton. 



The report states that the disastrous failure of the 

 Egyptian crop of 1909 is likely to lie a serious matter for the 

 Lancashire cotton industry, especially as there can be no con- 

 fidence in an increased [iroduction of long-stapled cotton by 

 the United States, on account of the serious extent to which 

 the boll weevil is pre.sent in that country. Figures are given 

 to show that the yield of cotton in Egypt is gradually decreas- 

 ing ; for instance, in the quinquennial periods 1896 to 1900, 

 1901-.5, and 1906-10, the respective yields were .5-48, 4-67 and 

 409 kantars per feddan (.5-18 kantars per feddan is given as 

 approximately 490 h. per acre). Among the rea.sons that 

 have been suggested for this are the change from a three 

 year to a two-year rotation, and the elevation of the level of 

 the subsoil water throughout the delta, owing to the raising 

 of the level of the irrigation canals. The second cause would 

 operate by biinging about conditions through which the tap 

 root of the cotton plant quickly reaches a region of the soil 

 w-hich is stagnant, undrained. and unventilated. If this 

 supposition is correct, the outlook is very serious, on account 

 of the time that must elapse before works can be undertaken 

 to a sufficient extent for the purpose of draining away this 

 sub.soil water The report goes on to point out that 

 a special commission is making enquiries into the whole 

 question, and states that the situation is most .serious, and 

 that the position of those employing Egy|)tian cotton is most 

 precarious -a circumstance which is shown by the high 

 prices that have been paid lately for Egyptian cotton, in com- 

 parison with tho.se for the American product. 



ST. VINCENT AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



At a general meeting of the St. Vincent Agricultural 

 and Commercial Society, held on the 4th ultimo, attention 

 was drawn to the fact that, owing to the adoption of imple- 

 mental tillage on a somewhat large scale in St. Vincent, 

 difficulty was being experienced in obtaining mules for work- 

 ing the implements. The importation of mules wa.s almost 

 out of the ijuestion, owing to the high prices that were asked 

 for them, and a resolution was carried, asking the Government 

 if it would be prepared to a.ssist the Society, by means of 

 a substantial bonu.s, for the importation of a suitable stallion 

 donkey, in order that mules may be bred in the island. 



.\n important letter from the Administrator was placed 

 before the meeting, in which reference was made to the fact 

 that the destruction of old cotton was not general in the 

 island, and the opinion of the Society w-as asked as to 

 whether legislation should be introduced with the object of 

 enforcing such destruction. In the discussion, the Agricul- 

 tural Superintendent stated that neither he nor the Cotton 

 Inspector could, at the present time, insist that any person 

 should destroy old cotton plants. He made reference to the 

 pests and diseases which would be lessened in number by the 

 destruction of the old plants as soon as possible after the crop 

 had been picked, and to the damage done by cotton stainers, 

 at the same time urging planters to destroy the native trees 

 on which these insects live. 



.\fter further discus.sion, it was decided that a special 

 meeting should be held, for the purpose of giving proper 

 consideration to the whole question. 



