86 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



Maeuh 11, 1916. 



COTTON. 



SEA ISLAND COTTON MARKET. 



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

 on Sea Island cotton in the Southern States, for 

 the week ending February, 12, 1916, is as follows: — 



ISLANDS. There was some demand this week for the 

 remaining crop lots, which were sold on private terms for 

 export, and the limited offerings of odd bags were in demand 

 on account of the Northern Mills, at prices ranging from 27c. 

 to 30c. 



The crop has been nearly all marketed and disposed of. 

 The unsold portion consists of about 2-50 bales classing Fine 

 to Fully Fine, which are held at ."JOc. and upwards, and two 

 small crop lots held at full prices. 



We quote, viz.: 



Extra Fine 30c. = 19irf. to 20ri. c.i.f. & 5 per cent. 



Fully Fine 29c. = 195. „ „ „ „ 



Fine 28c. = 18^ „ „ „ „ 



Fine off in class 27c=llSc?. ,, ,, ,, ,, 



FLoEiDAS ANB GEORGIAS. The market was quiet and 

 unchanged this week. The sales were largely composed of 

 cotton received by exporters from the interior and reported 

 in the sales. Factors in Savannah refused to lower their 

 prices, and are continuing to hold at 30c for round lots grading 

 from Choice to Fancy. As there have been no sales as yet 

 on^these terms, we renew our last ((uotations, but could buy 

 with difficulty at them. 



We quote, viz.: 



Fancy 30c. = 31c., landed. 



Extra Choice 29c. = 30c., „ 



Choice 28c. = 29c., „ 



Extra Fine 27c. = 28c., „ 



The Exports from Savannah for tlie week were, to 

 Northern Mills 409 bales, Southern Mills 103 bales, and 

 to Liverpool 276 bales, and from Jacksonville to Northern 

 Mills, 797 bales. 



Lagos crop is excellent, and the prosjoects are auspicious. In 

 Northern Nigeria the purchases of the new crop have exceeded 

 those of any previous year, and the prospects are very 

 promising. 



The purchases of cotton in Lagos for the year 191-j 

 amounted to 6,161 bales, as compared with 13,-547 bales 

 for 1914, 13,910 bales for 1913, 9,146 bales for 1912, and 

 ."), 408 bales for 1911. The purchases for the month of 

 .January are 1.5-5 bales, as compared with 39 bales for January 

 last year. 



The purchases of totton in Northern Nigeria for 1915 

 were 1,1 2S bales, us compared with 695 bales for 1914. The 

 purchases lo January -'22 amounted to 307 bales, against 

 23 bales for the whole month of .January last year. 



In view of the high price of cotton it has been decided 

 to increase the buying price to the natives in West Africa 

 from 1 d. to 1 Id. per lb. of seed-cotton, which is the same 

 pi ice that was paid before the War. It has always been the 

 policy of the Association to pay the highest possible price, in 

 order to encourage the natives to cultivate cotton. 



SUDAN. Reports have been received from the experi- 

 mental stations in the Sudan up to the middle of December. 

 At all the stations the temperature has been very low 

 during December, and it is not anticipated that the crop 

 will show any increase over last year. 



NYASALAND. The native cotton purchased by the 

 Association from this season's crop is equal to 1,380 bales, of 

 400 DE). each, and the Association's manager reports that the 

 Port Herald Ginnery will be fully employed until the next 

 crop comes along. There has been a good demand for seed 

 for tlie new crop, and it is considered that a larger acreage 

 will be planted under cotton than in any previous year. 

 A letter has been received from the Director of Agriculture 

 stating that the cotton is of good quality, and the native- 

 grown crop considerably exceeds the expectations of the Gov- 

 ernment, and there will belittle, if any, decrease in the output 

 of native cotton, which is satisfactory, considering the War, 

 the Native rising, and the large amount of porterage under- 

 taken by the natives in connexion with supplies for tlie 

 troops. Rains are now breaking, and arrangements are 

 being made for an increased distribution of cotton seed, and 

 the agricultural Staff are actively spreading the industry. 

 Owing to the deterioration in the quality of Nyasaland 

 cotton there has been some agitation on the part of the 

 European planters for the importation of American seed, 

 but it was felt that whatever was done, the distribution of 

 seed should be under the strict control of the Government. 



Statement was submitted showing that (),927 ba'es of 

 cotton had been sold during the montli. 



BRITISH COTTON GROWING ASSOCI- 

 ATION. 



The one hundred and forty-fourth meeting of the 

 Council of the British Cotton Growing Association was held 

 at the Offices, 1-5 Cio.ss Street, Manchester, on Tuesday 

 February 1. In the absence of the Tresideiil (The Rt. Hon. 

 the Earl of Derby, K.G.i and of the (Jhairman, .Mr. -lames 

 Crinion occupied the Chair. 



WES'i' AFiiiCA. In regard to the prospects for Lagos 

 and Northern Nigeria, a cable has recently been received 

 from the Association's manager in which he reports that the 



ELEVEN YEARS' MANUIAL EXPERI- 

 MENT WITH COTTON IN ST. KITTS. 



Manurial and other experiments with Sea Island cotton 

 have lieen carried on in connexion with the work of the 

 h'xperiment Station at La (iuerite, and are a continuation of 

 exijeriments conducted, for the last ten years. (See l^eports 

 on the P.otanic and Experiment Stations, St. Kitts-Nevis, for 

 1904-5 to 1913-1 I- Cotton manurial and other experiments.) 



The manurial experiments, which have been carried on 

 for th(> last eleven years on exactly' similar lines and on the 

 .same identical plots, consist of thirty plots, each ,'^-acre in 

 area, in duplicate, and are known as Series S'os, I and II. 



