406 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



December 24, 1910. 



WEST INDIAN COTTON. 



Messrs. Wolstenholme and Holland, of Liverpool, 

 write as follows, under date XnvumbL-r 21, with reference 

 to the sales of West Indian Sea Island coi.ion : — 



In the absence of .stock, transactions in West Indian 

 Sea Islands during the past fortnight have been confined to 

 a few oddments left over from last season. 



American Sea Island cotton remains fairly steady, but 

 buyers are not eager and are waiting developments. 



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

 Sea Island coiton in the Southern States, for the week 

 ending December 8, is as follows: — 



We have had a quiet market again this week, with only 

 a moderate demand, i-esulting in sales of .50 bales full Extra 

 Fine at 42gc. for France, and some small lots of odd l)ags 

 classing Fully Fine at 37c , Extra Fine at 40c. for export to 

 England. Besides, a crop lot, 8 bales Willow Select, was 

 sold for France at .50c., and tliere are orders in the market 

 for several more crop lots for France, but at prices below the 

 views of the planters. 



The receipts continue large, so that the unsold stock is 

 increasing. Although there are orders in the market for the 

 odd bags seeking execution at Ic. decline. Factors still refuse 

 to make any concession from previous price.s, liecause they 

 think that the receipts, from now on, will begin to show 

 a decided falling off, confirming reduced crop estimates. 



We have, therefore, only to report, market quiet, prices 

 unchanged, Factors still holding. 



Extra Fine Islands at 40c. = 22c?. c.i.f. & 5 per cent. 

 Fully Fine „ :37c. = 20k/. „ „ „ „ 



Fine „ 3.5c. = 19irf. „ „ „ „ 



COTTON EXPERIMliJNTS IN THE 



BAHAMAS. 



Two plots of Sea Island cotton were planted at this 

 station on July 31, 1906, from seed purchased from the 

 Imperial Department of Agriculture for the West Indies, 



Plot No. 1. A small area of 98 square yards in black soil 

 in the school garden. 



Plot No. 2. One-sixteenth of an acre in red or pepjiery 

 soil, close to the tobacco-curing house. 



The first picking commenced on October 25, and con- 



tinued to Decemlier 3, when the plants were cut down to 

 test the quality of cotton from .second crop. 



During the growth, which was fairly luxuriant, the 

 plan'.s were not attacked by any insect or other pests, and 

 the condition of the plants was all that could be desired. 

 The total weight of seed-cotton reaped from plot No. 2 was 

 2 4 -J- lb , equal to 396 lb per acre. 



Samples of the cotton were sent to the British Cotton 

 Growing Association, .Manchester, l^igland, for an opinion as 

 to quality and value. 



The following reply was received ; — 



Your Jetter of November 21, duly to hand, together 

 with the samples of Sea Island cotton grown at your E.xperi- 

 ment Station. I have now pleasure iii handing you copy of 

 valuation and report from our Expert in Liverpool. 



No. 1, value 2o'i'. to 2J(/. per \h. 'Clean, very bright, 

 staple extra fine and long.' 



No. 2, value 20'/. per lb. ' Wanting in fineness as com- 

 pared viith No. 1; also less fine and lacking in length.' 



.Just now. Sea inland cotton is fetching very high prices, 

 owing to the partial failure of the American Sea Island crop. 

 There is no doubt that if you introduce this industry in your 

 islaials it will prove a great success. (Sgd.) .Jno. Atkins, 

 Secretary. (From the Jlidletin nj the Dij'avtment of Ai/ii- 

 culturc, Bahamas, Vol. V, No. 2.) 



COTTON-GROWING IN GREECE. 



An interesting and apparently successful experiment has 

 been made in Thes.saly in the cultivation of I]gyptian cotton, 

 wi'.h modern machinery and under the direction of an expert 

 from Egypt. In 1908 about 220 acres were cultivated in 

 this crop, which produced 210,500 lb. The area under cultiva- 

 tion in 1909 was 200 acres, producing 220,000 ft).; while 

 this year it is probable that more than 600 acres will be 

 cultivated. The average price received for JCgyptian cotton 

 is more th\n double that paul for the Greek domestic 

 cotton. Experiments have also been made in the cultivation 

 of cotton grown from .\meriean seed, but oidy on a small scale, 

 and with results that are, thus far, inconclusive. 



There are thirty-five cotton mills in Greece, equipjied with 

 99,300 spindles and 1,211 looms, and representing a capital 

 of £800,000. Em[iloyment is given to aliout .5,000 hands. 

 The total annual product is valued at £420,000. Cotton is 

 imported into Greece annually to the amount of 8,000 to 

 10,000 lules, as follows: American, of good middling quality, 

 2.500 bales; Turkish, 5,000 to 7,000 bales; Egyptian, 500 

 bales. (The TeMih Mercury, October 1, 1910.) 



