THE AGIIICULTURAL NEWS. 



Janl:.m:y 15, 191C. 



COTTON. 



WEST INDIAN COTTON. 



Messrs. Wolstenholme and Holland, of Liverpool, 

 write as follows, under dates November 29, 1915, and 

 December 14, liH."). respectively, with reference to the 

 sales of West Indian Sea Island cotton: — 



Since our last report the sale.s of West Indian Sea 

 Island cotton have lieen confined to about 120 bales, 

 St. Vincent, chiefly at 18(7., with some superfine at 20rf. 

 to 28c?. 



Prices of Sea Island remain steady, but there is 

 practically little or no stock ottering.- 



Since our last report sales of West Indian Sea Island 

 have been confined to 60 bales, including Anguilla llf'/., 

 St. Kitts and St. Vincent 17c?., and Stains 9\^^. to 9|c?. 

 I'rices remain firm. 



The Report of Messrs. Henry W. Frost & Co., 

 on Sea Island cotton in the Southern States, for 

 the week ending December 1<S, 1915, is as follows: — 



ISLANDS. The demand has continued for all the offerings 

 of odd bags classing Fine to Extra Fine at 25c. to 27c., the 

 buying being on account of the Northern Mills. Towards 

 the close of the week an advance of Je. was made for Fine off 

 in class, which has rendered Factors firmer in their views. 

 Then the active and advancing market in Savannah, where 

 Fancy is selling at 26^c., has cau.scd the holders here to ask 

 an advance of .',c. to Ic. over prices previously ruling. This 

 advance has not been paid as yet. 



PL.\STEEs' CROP LoT.s. Thi ic has lieen some demand for 

 export, and several crops have been sold on jirivate terms. 



The market closed firm, and lield .',c. to Ic. higher. 



We quote, viz.: 



Extra Fine 27c. to 28c. = 17.',c?.-18(/. c.i.f. it 5 per cent. 



Fully Fine 26c. =\^d. „ „ „ „ 



Fine 2.5c. to 25ic. = 16|c?-]Cic?. „ „ „ „ 



Fine off in class 24c. to 24|c. = lo^r/.-ie-'. „ „ „ „ 



KLOitiDAs ANii cKOitciiAs. The rt'cupts for the week of 

 1,989 bales were compo.sed largely ofjDuroliases in the interior 

 by exporters. The sales also are largely composed of cotton 

 received by exporters from the interior, and now included in 

 the Savannah sales. 



With the good demand in Savannah for the limited 

 daily oft'erings, Factors succeeded in obtaining this week 

 a further advance of ic, at which all of the offerings were 

 reacUly taken. We have, therefore, to quote: 



Fancy 20ic. = 27Jc., landed. 



Extra Choice 26c. = 27c., „ 



Choice 2r)c. = -Jfic, „ 



Extra Fine 24c. =25c., „ 



The Exports from Savannaii for the week were, to 

 Northern Mills 525 bales, Southcni Mills 54 bales, and 

 from Jacksonville to Northern Mills 1,473 bales. 



The Coming of the Motor Plough —Of all tke 

 work which has to be done on farms, ploughing is perhaps 

 the most extravagant in power, and the most dependent upon 

 the conditions of the land and weather. On large estates the 

 cable system of steam ploughing has been brought to a high 

 state of perfection. Not many farmers, however, can afford, 

 a set of steam-ploughing tackle, nor are there many farms 

 in these islands of such a size as would make its employment 

 a paying proposition. As the Enc/iiieev points out, what is 

 greatly wanted is a motor tractor, neither too costly nor too 

 complicated — that can be put to some practical use at all 

 seasons of the year, and it would appear that such a machine 

 is now in course of evolution. Apart from the cable-haulage 

 system of ploughing already mentioned, the systems of motor- 

 ploughing are chietty divided into two classes, namely, those 

 in which the motive mechanism and the plough are two 

 separate units, and those in which the two are combined. 

 For all-round usefulness the separate haulage system posses.ses 

 important advantages, as motive mechanism can be readily 

 attached to various kinds of implements. The disadvantages 

 urged against the separate tractor are several. One is the 

 necessity for employing two men, one on the tractor and one 

 on the plough. With regard to the type of motor to be used, 

 the steam-engine has not yet been adapted to the .self-i-ontained 

 machine, owing to tlie weight of the water and fuel which it 

 has to carry. So far the petrol engine has monopolised the 

 field, and with spirit at a moderate price, such engines will 

 continue in favour, though developments may be expected in 

 connexion with jjaratlin engines. As regards the amount of 

 power required, current practice would seem to show that 

 with engines of 20 to 25 h.p., satisfactory work can be done 

 on average land with ploughs of two and even three furrows, 

 and taking cuts 7 inches deep. With this amount of power 

 it is possible to plough from 3 to 6 acres in a day of nine- 

 hours. In order to relieve the land from excessive pressure, 

 and give a more direct pull when engaged in pulling the 

 plough, some tractors are designed to run with one driving 

 wheel in the furrow. This method has also the advantage of 

 keeping the furrows parallel, and making steering easy. As 

 .several of the leading manufacturers of motor ploughs have 

 adopted this idea, it would seem that the system is based oa 

 sound principles. The petrol consumed by a motor plough 

 is said to be about 2 gallons per acre of land ploughed, 

 and its capacity 3 acres per day of nine hours. — (Journal 

 of the Korjal Society of Artf, for November 12, 1915.) 



Awards at the Barbados Show.— Diplomas of 



^lerit have been awarded by the Imperial Department of 

 Agriculture to the following exhibitors at the Barbados 

 Annual Exhibition held on December 15, 1915: — 



Ba.sket of rind fruit, first prize awarded to Helen 

 Greaves, Carrington \'illage; Basket of cabbage, first prize 

 awarded to J. A. Mahon, Esi|., Lion Castle, St. Thomas; 

 Holstein Bull (dairy lireed), first prize awarded to W. Cecil, 

 Esq., Brandons, St. Michael: Heifer (dair^' breed), first prize 

 awarded to Mrs. E. Mahon, Waterford, St. Michael: Plant 

 canes (B. 6450) first prize awarded to Highland Plantation, 

 St. Thomas; Single turkey cock, first prize awarded to 

 F. Burton, E.sq., White Park, St. Michael. 



