374 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



November 26, 1910. 



WEST INDIAN COTTON. 



Messrs. Wolstenholme and Holland, of Liverpool, 

 write as follows, under date November 7, with reference 

 td the sales of West Indian Sea Island cotton : — 



There has been no business reported since our last report 

 in West Indian Sea Island cotton. 



Florida and Carolina Sea Islands remain tirra in price, 

 with a limited business doing. 



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

 Sea Island cotton in the Southern States, for the week 

 ending November -5, is as follows: — 



There was some demand in the market this week, enabling 

 factors to obtain their asking prices for 400 bales of their 

 otTerings of about 1,000 bales. The sales consisted of 100 

 bales Fully Fine at 38c., and 300 bales E.xtra Fine at 40c. 

 and 41c. As the demand was chiefly for the Extra Fine, and 

 exceeded the offerings on the market, the 41c. was paid for 

 100 bales, to enable the buyer to secure the cotton over the 

 other bids in the market. 



The present demand lieing seemingly satisfied, the market 

 closed quiet, and should it continue so, these prices may not 

 be maintained; but this demand has encouraged factors in 

 their views, and they are continuing to hold: Extra Fine at 

 41c., = 22id.; Fully Fine at 3Sc., = 21rf.; Fine at 36c., = iOd. 



USE AND MANUFACTURE OF EGYPTIAN 



COTTON. 



An interesting article in the Joiinud uf the Royal 

 Society of Arts, for Octoljer 1.5, 1910, gives an account of the 

 main facts relating to Egyptian cotton. It points out, first 

 of all, that the possibilities of cotton as a crop for Egypt 

 were originally recognized by the French engineer, Jumel, 

 who succeeded in interesting Mohamet Ali in the matter, 

 with the result that quantities of cotton seed were imported 

 into Egypt. Attention is drawn to the fact that Egyptian 

 cotton has always been noted for its high quality, being 

 surpassed only by Sea Island, Georgia and West Indian Sea 

 Island. 



Proceeding, the article points out that the charcteristics 

 of Egyptian cotton are length and strength of lint, fine soft 

 quality, silky lustre, and a brown colour in certain varieties. 

 Like Sea Island cotton, it is used for making many articles 

 in which strength, with fineness, is required; among these are 

 typewriter ribbons, aeroplane cloths, sewing cotton and mail 

 bags. Brown Egyptian cotton is employed for the manufac- 

 ture of ecru lace curtains and Balbriggan underwear. It is 



especially useful for mixing with silk, and for filling sateen, 

 Indian linen, and similar goods, which possess a brilliaiit 

 surface, on account of its clearness and the ease with which 

 it takes dyes. 



A broad description of the manufacture of cotton shows 

 it to l>e divided into three processes, namelj- spinning, weav- 

 ing and finishing. The first of these includes successively 

 cleaning; combing or carding, which makes the fibres parallel 

 to one another, and removes the short ones; and spinning 

 proper, by which the cotton is finally drawn out to the 

 required fineness or 'count', and made into yarn. It is in 

 the carding that Egyptian cotton has always received special 

 treatment, for this is necessary in order that the yarn may l>e 

 fine, strong and uniform. 



When the mercerising process was reintroduced, the prices 

 of Egyptian cotton were raised, owing to the increase in the 

 demand for the goods made from it. The process consists in 

 treating the yarn with a warm solution of caustic soda, and 

 preventing it from shrinking when drying by stretching it 

 slightly while this is being done. A large amount of the 

 superiority of Egyptian cotton has been derived from the fact 

 that it gives a product superior to that from American cotton, 

 when it is mercerised. The invention, however, of a new pro- 

 cess known as 'schreinerising' is likely to take away this 

 point of superiority, as this can lie applied to Egyptian and 

 American cotton with equal success. It consists in passing 

 the manufactured material between heated steel rollers, having 

 the surface cut diagonally with fine parallel lines, with the 

 result that the material gains the appearance of satin. 



A table is given in the article by which it is shown, that 

 as is well known, the exports of cotton from Egypt have been 

 decreasing. In 1907-8, these amounted to 908,364 bales; in 

 1908-9, to 897,026; and in 1909-10 to 672,608 bales. The 

 taVile is followed liy a short discussion of the causes for this 

 diminution of output. These are sufficiently familar to those 

 interested in cotton to make it unnecessary for any description 

 of them to be given at present. (For recent information in 

 regard to this matter, see Aqricvltural Neifs, Vol. IX 

 pp. 326 and 342.) 



As regards Egypt, the article concludes by stating 

 that a special (Jotton Commission has recently had under 

 consideration remedies for the declining production of the 

 crop. It is pointed out by this Commission that the drainage 

 system of the country has not kept pace with the irrigation 

 system, and the importance is emphasized of the necessity for 

 obtaining information as to the manurial requirements of the 

 crop, and as to the best means of selecting seed. Among the 

 measures suggested in order that this may be brought about 

 are the foundation of an agronomic station at Cairo and the 

 declaration is made that the establishment of an agricultural 

 department for Egypt is absolutely essential. 



