390 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



December 10, 1910. 



WEST INDIAN COTTON. 



Messrs. Wolstenholtne and Holland, of Liverpool, 

 write as follows, under date November 7, with reference 

 to the sales of West Indian Sea Island cotton : — 



There has lieen no business reported since our last report 

 in West Indian Sea Island cotton. 



Florida and Carolina Sea Islands remain firm 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 12, is as follows:^ 



The market opened firm with Factors holding for full 

 previous prices, and sales were made of 200 to 300 bales on 

 a basis of Extra Fine 40c., Fully Fine .38c. 



Toward the end of the week, however, there was 

 a quieter feeling, resulting in sales of Fully Fine at some 

 concession, making the total sales of the week 700 bales. 



As the advices from the Islands continue unfavourable, 

 crop estimates are being reduced 10,000 to 11,000 liales. 

 With only this limited supply in view, the Factors and 

 Planters are disposed to remain firm in their asking prices. 



We quote : — 

 Extra Fine Islands 40c. = 22(1, c.i.f it o per cent. 



Fully Fine „ 37c. to 3Sc. = 20hd. to 2\d. c.i.f. ii 5 per cent. 

 Fine ,, 36c. = 20d. c.i.f. ife 5 per cent. 



THE COTTON INDUSTRY OP PERU. 



The following information concerning the cotton 

 industry of Peru is extracted from Fcrii To-day, for 

 July 1910;— 



The possible commercial and industrial importance of 

 cotton was realized in the fifteenth century, soon after which 

 it was systematically manufactured in France, with gradual 

 inclination to other European countries. Pizarro, it is said, 

 found cotton fabrics in ancient Teruvian tomb?, which some 

 modern archaeologists trace back to civilization antedating 

 that of the Incas. Peru, today, is famed for its cotton, for 

 the improved production of which extensive irrigation works 

 have been undertaken in the Departments of Piura, in the 

 north, and Lima. The labour employed at the plantations 

 is generally native, being cheap and efficient. 



Peruvian cotton is exported in bales, principally to 

 England and the United States, the annual export averaging 

 20,000 tons, representing more than $5,000,000. 



CULTIVATION. The cultivation of cotton in I'eru, accord- 

 ing to Mr. Gerardo Klinge, the director of the Lima Experi- 

 mental Station for Cotton, differs essentially from that in the 



other cotton areas of the world, owing to the special cultural 

 and climatic conditions of the country. 



The principal cotton-producing districts are near the 

 coast, and extend between the parallels 6 '30 " and 19' 0", south 

 latitude. Most of these districts are occupied by vast desert- 

 like valleys, which are irrigated from the rivers fiowing from 

 the Andes into the Pacific. While the methods of irrigation 

 are not the best, they are simple and adequate, ei|ual in every 

 respect to the necessities of the fields. This work is done 

 principally by means of canals, branching from the main rivers, 

 in which the Peruvian cotton grower has shown to advantage 

 his skill and understanding. 



DiSE.\.SES xsn PESTS. In the treatment of cotton dis- 

 eases, an ounce of prevention is worth many pounds of cure. 

 The diseases characteristic of the plant are many, the principal 

 being: yellow leaf blight, red leaf blight, shedding of bolls, 

 flenching, sore shin, anthracnose, and root rot. Peruvian 

 cotton, however, is practically free from the attacks of any of 

 these diseases. 



Mr. C. F. H. Townsend, an American expert on plant 

 life and disease, is at present in Peru. He is making import- 

 ant studies in the cotton di.'stricts. Attached to the ignited 

 States Department of Agriculture, he has been temporarily 

 engaged by the Peruvian Government to study the parasite 

 that does some damage to the cotton plant in the districts 

 of Piura. It is said that Mr. Townsend has succeeded in 

 finding another insect that will destroy the parasite. How- 

 ever, it will take .some time to obtam practical results. So 

 far, the damage inflicted has not been very great, nor is it 

 likely that it will extend, though the foresight of the Peruvian 

 Government for having taken precautions is to be admired. 



IREH;.\TI0N. It is only in recent years that irrigation 

 has been done systematically in the Peruvian cotton districts 

 around Piura. Prior to 1891, the success of the crops rested 

 greatly in the iieriodical rains. In Piura, such rains used to 

 occur at intervals of seven years, and sufficed to soak the 

 soil and allow of enormous areas being sown; the crops 

 requiring no irrigation during the subsequent years. The 

 last of these was in 1S91, and, thenceforward, the construc- 

 tion of irrigating canals in Piura has rendered cultivation 

 independent of the rains. 



PRODUCTION. The production of Peruvian cotton per 

 hectare varies according to the age of the plant. From two 

 to three years is said to be the best age, and it is estimated 

 at 750 kilos, of seed-cotton per hectare [660 lb. per acre], 

 with a yield of 35 per cent, of lint. The cost of producing 

 native cotton is placed at 5ic. a kilo. 



Three classes of cotton are cultivated in Peru: rough 

 Peruvian; American upland, short staple, a variety intro- 

 duced and cultivated since the Cival War; and the long 

 staple varieties of Sea I.sland and Mitafifi. Of the total 

 production, however, 65 per cent, is American upland, 



