Vol. XV. No. 370. 



THE AGRIUULTUKAL SEWS. 



215 



also, that it would be advantageous if a syndicate could be 

 formed in England for the handling of West Indian cotton. 



The President said he thouaht the idea of having an 

 •agent on the part of the Fine Spinners in the West Indies was 

 -a good one. 



Acting on the advice given to the Imperial Commissioner 

 by the President of the British Cottnn Growing Association, 

 it was lesolved that in tbe opinion of tlie Conference it is not 

 desirable that steps should be taken to obtain a guarantee 

 for prices of cotton to be grown this year as was done last 

 year. The Resolution was seconded anci carried unanimou-sly. 



FURTHER DISCUSSION OF PESTS «NT) IlISEASES. 



The President said there were some points remaining 

 "from the previous discussion on this subject which were well 

 worth taking up 



Mr. H. A. Ballou (Imperial Department of Agriculture) 

 then dealt with certain insect pests of cotton including the 

 leaf-blister mite and cotton worm and the outbreak of 

 cockroaches which had been experienced in St. Kitts. He 

 mentioned also the grey weevil which eats young cotton 

 plants. This pest occurs in Antigua, Tortola and Nevis. The 

 use of the poi.soned bait was suggested as a possible remedy, 

 and hand collection was mentioned as the only known 

 method of control. 



Mr. F. R. Shepherd (St. Kitts) made a few observations 

 on the destruction of stainers by spraying with kerosene oil. 



Mr. H. A. r)alloii said it was possible that some poison 

 might be found suitable for cotton stainers. Orange 

 juice from dead-ripe fruit had been found to be a good trap. 

 After some discussion Mr. Ballou went on to call attention 

 to the fact that the species of cotton stainer most prevalent 

 in Mont'serriit and St. Vincent, the two islands where internal 

 b (11 rot had attracted attention, was different from the cotton 

 stainer prevalent in St. Kitts. 



Some discussion then followed in connexion with the 

 distribution of species of cotton stainers, and tlie trend of 

 ■opinion was that internal boll rot existed irrespective of any 

 particular species of cotton stainer. 



The next subject dealt with was the use of starch and 

 Paris green as an insecticide, especially in connexion with the 

 corn ear-worm, and the arrowroot caterpillar. Mr. S. C. 

 Harland (St. Vincent) described the work he had done in 

 this connexion [see Ayricidturul Nemx, Vol. XIV, No. 353]. 

 It was pointed out that the disadvantage of lime was that 

 in excessive amounts it is repellent to the insect, whereas 

 starch is more attractive. Again starch has adhesive prf)p- 

 •erlies which lime has not. It was thought that where large 

 quantities of insecticide had to be used, the starch mixture 

 would be more expensive than the lime mixture. 



Mr. S. W. Howes (Montserrat) expressed his intention 

 of trying Mr. Harland's mixture on his. estate, for which pur- 

 pose he had now 40 acres in potatoes for the production of 

 the necessary .starch. 



As a result of a remark by 'S\x. Howes, Mr. Ballou made 

 a few observations regarding the remarkable powers of Hight 

 of the moth of the cotton worm. There was some sugges- 

 tion that Montserrat was invaded from Antigua; Mr. Ballou 

 ■was not disinclined to consider that this might occur. 



Mr. W. Nowell (Imperial Department of Agriculture) 

 then said a few words concerning the fungous diseases of 

 cotton other than the internal boll disease. He asked that 

 a clear distinction should be made between bacterial boll 

 disease, which attacked the outside of the boll, and the 

 internal boll disease, which attacked the inside and was the 

 one that was conveyed by cotton stainers. 



{To he continued.) 



SEA ISLAND COTTON MARKET. 



Messrs. Wolstenholme and Holland, ofLiverpooI» 

 write as tbllow.s, under dates May 1-5 and 27, 1916. 

 respectively, with reference to the sales of West Indian 

 Sea Island cotton: — 



About 150 bales of West Indian Sea Island cotton have 

 been sold since our last report at stead}' prices. The salea 

 comprise Montserrat 16.W. to 18'^., and a few Nevis 15.^ to 

 16(i. 



A fair busine.ss has been done in West Indian Sea Island 

 cotton since our last report and prices are steady. 



The sales include Mont.serrat \ld to \'\d., St. Kitos at 

 19d., Anguilla 15rf. to 18c?; also about 30 bales Stains to 

 \\d. to \M. 



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

 on Sea Island cotton in the Southern States, for 

 the week ending June 3, 1916, is as follows: — 



isi.\Ni).s. This crop has been entirely dispo.sed of, there 

 being no stock either here or on jilantation. Consequently 

 the market is closed until October, when the new crop will 

 begin to come to market. The quotations are nominal, and 

 are based on prices last paid, viz: — 



Extra Fine 3lc. to 32c. = 20i^/. to 'IXd. c.i.f. <fc 5 percent. 

 Fully Fine .JOc. = 20rf. „ „ „ „ 



FLORiD.\s .4.ND tJEoRGiAS. The market has continued 

 very firm with quite sufficient demand to take the limited 

 irtferings on the Savannah market. 



Besides, sales aggregating about 2,000 bales have been 

 made in the interior towns. It is probable that in some 

 instances conces.sions in price were obtained when the buyer 

 took all grades admitting of the hfilder getting rid of the 

 entire lot. 



The buying was on account of the Northern and 

 Southern Mills, which will require further supply before the 

 next crop is marketed. 



We quote, viz.: — 



Fancy 31c. = 3:: 



Extra Choice 30c. = 31|c., 



Choice 29c. = 30^c., 



The exports from Savannah since May 6 were, to 

 Northern Mills 489 bales, Southern Mills 517 bales, and from 

 .Jacksonville to Northern Mills 933 bales. 



ijROP .\i>vii'Es. Since our last report of May 6 we 

 have had beneficial rains over the entire Se* Island belt, 

 which has admitted of good stands being obtained. The crop 

 is reported to be in excellent condition, the advices from all 

 .sections being favourable. 



As to the acreage, vve have only to confirm our last 

 advices. 



More attention has been paid to seed in Florida and 

 Georgia. In Carolina a large percentage of the crop has been 

 planted in prolific seed classing only fine to fully fine; conse- 

 quently the supply of Extra fine and above will be liiore 

 limited. 



Estimates of the entire crop, Florida, Georgia ar.d 

 Carolina range around 100,000 bales. 



This report also shows that the total exports of 

 Sea Island cotton from the United .States to Liverpool, 

 and Manchester up to June 3, 1916, were 7.5-i ami 

 443 bales, respectively. 



2^c., landed. 



