THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



January 1, 1910. 



WEST INDIAN COTTON. 



The Report of ilessrs. H.iiry W. Frost & Co., 

 on Sea Island cotton in the Southern States, for 

 the week ending December 11, 1915, is as follows: — 



ISLANDS. The demand has continued again this week 

 taking all the offerings of odd bags classing Fine to Extra 

 Fine at 25c. to 27c., resulting in sale.s of upwards of 400 

 bales, the buying being on account of the Northern and 

 Southern ilills. This demand is partly due to the prices 

 ruling liere for Islands being lower than those paid in 

 Savanna!) for Georgias and Floridas, making this market 

 relatively much the cheaper. 



The Factors show more disposition to sell the Planters' 

 crop lots, and would make some concession to do so, but at 

 present there is little or no demand. 

 We quote, viz.: 

 Extra Fine 27c. to 28c. = 17rf.-17i(/. c.i.f. A- 5 per cent. 



Fully Fine 26c. =16A(f. „ „ „ „ 



Fine 2.5c. =165. „ „ „ ., 



Fine off in class 24c. = 1.5id. ,, ,, ,, ,, 



FLORiDA.s AND GEOKOiA.s. The sales foT the week are 

 reported as 1,434 bales, but they were compossed largely of 

 cotton received from the interior by exporters and included 

 in the sales. The exports were 1,26.3 bales, which are 

 reported as cotton now goi;ig forward on sales previously 

 made for December shipment. In Savannah nearly all of 

 the stock in Factors" hands is being held off the market in 

 anticipation of some advance later on. The daily offerings 

 are small, and in such good demand the market is very firm. 

 Throughout the interior the offerings are also limited and in 

 good demand, and to secure them, ^c. advance has been [laid 

 this week over the Sivannah prices. The interior stocks are 

 also being largely held off the market in anticipation of 

 higher prices later on. 



Notwithstanding the Bureau's report of 77,161 bales 

 ginned to the 1st instant, the general estimates of the final 

 outturn of the crop continue to range from 8.5,000 bales to 

 88,000 hales. 



We quote, viz.: 



landed. 



the 



Fancy 26c. = 2 'c, 



Extra Choice 25c. = 26c., 



Choice 24c. = 25c., 



Extra Fine 23c. = 24c., 



The Exjwrts from .'^avannali for 



Ncrlhern Mills 1,061 bales, South, rn Mills 202 



from .Jacksonville to Norlhern Mills 1,194 bales. 

 The L'.S. Census Bureau reports cotton 



December 1 as follows: — 



South Carolina 3,374 bales! 



Georgia 48,877 ., Making a total of 77, 



Florid* 24,910 „ j 



against last year 62,991 bales Total crop 78,857 

 1913 61,049 „ „ 85,.544 



week were, to 

 bales, and 



giimed to 



;i b:.h 



bales 



1912 

 1911 



51,275 

 87,656 



66,169 

 122,512 



BRITISH COTTON GROWING 

 ASSOCIATION. 



The one hundred and furty first meeting of the Council 

 of the British Cotton Growing Association was held at the 

 Offices, 15, Cross Street, Manchester, on Tuesday the 2nd 

 inst. ilr. J. Arthur Hutton occupied the chair. A letter was 

 read from the President (The lit. Hon. The Earl of Derby, 

 K.G.) regretting his inability to attend the meeting owing to 

 important business in London. 



WEST AFIXICA. The Georgia and Upland varieties of 

 cotton Avhich have been grown this season on the 

 Government Experimental Farm near Ibadan, are doing 

 very well, and the plants are strong and flourLshing. This 

 will be the first year that seed over and above the 

 requirements of the Agricultural Department will be 

 available for distribution to planters, and the Association 

 have decided to back up the Government Authorities in 

 every way by paying an extra price for cotton produced from 

 this seed. It is hoped that this experiment will result in 

 establishing a better variety of cotton in Lagos, which will 

 give a higher percentage of lint to seed-cotton, and also 

 a greater yield per acre. 



In view of the approach of the new season it will 

 shortly be necessary to decide as to the price to be paid for 

 seed-cotton in Nigeria. Last season the As.sociation 

 commenced by paying f'/. per Db. of seed-cotton, and later 

 the price was increased to ^d. per fc., and had there been 

 a larger crop and the buying season spread over a longer 

 period, the Association would have further increased the 

 buying price. It is not yet possible to estimate what the 

 production will be next season, but the growing conditions 

 have been most satisfactory: there is a doubt, however, as to 

 what quantfty of seed has be-;n planted, and estimates for 

 the new crop range from 10,000 to 15,000 bales. In order 

 to encourage the natives it has been decided to pay the 

 highest jtricc which the market will allow. 



The purchases of cotton in Lagos to the end of October 

 amount to 6,050 bales, as compared with 13,511 bales for the 

 same period of last year, and 13,738 bales for 1913. 



The purchases of .cotton in Northern Nigeria to the end 

 of September amounted to 564 bales, as compared with 523 

 bales for the same period of last year. 



The Association have had an interview with the 

 Director of Agriculture for Northern Nigeria, who is very 

 optimistic as regards the prospects for cotton in certain 

 districts, although in other parts the higher price of other 

 products has affected the production of cotton. The Director 

 of .Agriculture is of opinion that considerable quantities of 

 cotton can be produced in Northern Nigeria provided 

 a satisfactory type of seed can be established, which will give 

 the natives a greater production per acre than the local seed, 

 and which will be of better quality, so as to enable the 

 Association to increase the buying price. 



SUDAN. The reports of the cotton crops at the various 

 experimental stations are very favourable, but in some 

 districts the crops have been damaged by locusts, and it is 

 estimated that abotit 20 per cent, lias been severely damaged, 

 and although tlie attecled areas have been resown, it is feared 

 that great results need not be expected in these districts, as 

 the season is too far advanced. 



foANDA. It has been decided to continue the Associ- 

 ation's operations in Uganda for at least another season, 

 otherwise it is feared the natives may not receive the full 

 market value for their cotton, and a- minimum price has been 

 fixed for seed-cotton which it is hoped will give the natives 

 the encouragement whichis so essential at the present juncture. 

 It was mentioned* that 4 bales of cotton had been 

 shipped to the Association, the proceeds of which are to be 

 used as part of a contribution by the natives of the E;tstern 

 Province to the Prhice of Wales" Fund. The As.sociation 

 have agreed to pay the railway and ocean freight, and all 

 charges on this cottajj, so that the gross proceeds may be 

 paid to the Fund, and it is hoped that arrangements may be 

 made for the cotton to be specially soU by auction. 



It was rejwrted that during the month the Association 

 had .sold 4,621 bales of cotton, which was considered very 

 satisfactory, under present conditions. 



