Vol. XV. No. 371. 



THE AGKICULTUKAL NEWS. 



231 



It was agreed that :^eleotioll in regard to resistance 

 to disease requires to be more definite and have relation 

 to one di.sease at a time rather than diseases in general. 

 It was agreed also, in connexion with field selection, 

 that experiment station workers should carefully recoid 

 observations dealing with the geiv/ral habit of the plants. 

 This applies to inanurial and [ilanting experiments with 

 cotton, as well as to work in seed selection. 



CONFERKNCK IKNNER. 



The visiting delegates of tlie ( onference entertained at 

 dinner, at Old Government House, on the evening of Friday, 

 March 1 7, the resident delegates and the principal Govern- 

 ment officials of the Presidency of St. Kitts-Nevis. The 

 President of the Conference (Hon. Dr. Francis Watts, 

 C'.M.G.) occupied the chair. Covers were laid for thirty-five. 



Among the guests were His Honour Major J. A. 

 Burdon, C.M.G., Administrator of St. Kitts-NevLs, and Hon. 

 T. E. Fell, Colonial Secretary, Barbados. 



A summary of the speeches is included in the Confer- 

 ence number of the West, Indian Bulletin, just i.ssued 



BRITISH COTTON GROWING ASSO- 

 CIATION. 



The one hundred and forty-eighth meeting of the 

 Council of the British Cotton Growing Association was 

 held at the Offices, 15, Cross Street, Manchester, on Tuesday^ 

 June 6. In the absence of the President (The Right 

 Hon. the Earl of Derby, K.G.), Mr. J. Arthur Hutton 

 occupied the Chair. 



A resolution Avas passed expressing the deep sorrow of 

 the Council at the lamentable death of Lord Kitchener, and 

 their regret at the irreparable loss sustained by the nation 

 and the whole of the British Empire. In moving the 

 resolution the Chairman drew special attention to the great 

 debt which the Association owed to Lord Kitchener. He 

 always took the deepest interest in all matters concerning 

 the welfare of the Empire, and !nore particularly in the 

 development of the Anglo- Egyptian Sudan. Lord Kitchener 

 had himself carefully studied all the details of the scheme 

 for growing cotton in the tJezireh Plain, and it was largely 

 due to his representations that the Government decided to 

 assist the Sudan Government in raising the necessary capital. 

 One of the last acts of Lord Kitchener in connexion with 

 this great scheme was drawing up an arrangement which 

 would ensure that the native farmer should not be left at 

 the mercy of the capitalist, but should receive a fair reward 

 for his labours. 



The Chairman felt that one of the best and most 

 enduring monuments they could raise to the memory of 

 Lord Kitchener was to use their best efforts in making 

 a success of the Gezireh Scheme, and so to bring prosperity to 

 the inhabitants of the country in which Lord Kitchener took 

 the deepest interest, and from which he took his title. 



WEST .•\FRi(;.\. The purchases of cotton in Lagos to 

 May 27 amounted to 7,84.5 bales as compared with 3,332 

 bales for the corresponding period of last year, and 12,031 

 bales for 191 4. The purchases in Northern Nigeria to May 

 27, amounted to 10,066 bales against 333 bales for the 

 corresponding period of last year, and the previous maximum 

 of 2,135 bales in 1912. The Lieut. Governor and the llesi- 



dent recently paid a visit to the Association's Ginnery at 

 Zaiia, and were astonished at the nuantity of cotton which 

 had been purchased. Cotton is coming in by camel from 

 Katsena and Sokoto, which is a gratifying feature as showing 

 the distance the natives are prepared to bring the cotton, 

 and also proving tliat the possibilities of cotton growing as 

 an export trade are being realized by the native producers. 



A communication has been sent to the Government in 

 regard to the extraordinary developments in Northern Nigeria, 

 with a view to obtaining the best information which can be 

 got in reference to the future prospects of the industry. 



It is understood that Sir F. Lngard, the Governor of 

 Nigeria, will be on leave sometime this month, and as soon 

 as possiljle after his arrival an interview will be arranged with 

 him. Meantime a letter has been received from the Director 

 of Agriculture for Northern Nigeria, wherein he alludes to the 

 large quantities of cotton purchased by the Association this 

 season, and to the outlook for much larger quantities next 

 year. 



A very fine coal field has been discovered in Southern 

 Nigeria, the scam being about 4 feet deep; the coal is superior 

 in quality to South African coal, and it is only necessary to 

 cut into the face of the hill to get the coal. This coal will 

 soon be available for use on the Lagos railways, and it is 

 considered to be a most valuable economic discovery for West 

 Africa. 



siTDAX. Reports from the Sudan were read, staling 

 that the climatic conditions which were unfavourable are 

 now rather better, and an average yield is expected of from 

 3i to 4 kantara per feddan. 



NYASALANi). It was reported that since June^ikst 

 year shipments of cotton had come forward from Nyasaland 

 in a very satisfactory manner, 4,010 bales having been 

 shipped to the Association. 



Report from Mr. McCall, the Director of Agriculture, 

 was read stating that the output of cotton in Nyasalandj for 

 1915 amounted to 8,026 bales. 



UGAMiA The Director of Agriculture for l^ganda 

 reports that the exports of cotton from that Protectorate for 

 the year 1915 amounted to 24,530 bales. 



Statement was submitted showing that the Association 

 had sold 35,013 bales during the month. 



An allotment of twenty-nine shares was made, bringing 

 the total amount of capital allotted to date £468,264. 



SEA ISLAND COTTON MARKET. 



Me.ssrs. Wolstenholme and Holland, of Liverpool 

 write as follows, under date June 12, 1916, with refer- 

 ence to the sales of West Indian Sea Island cotton:^ 



A good business has been done in West Indian Sea 

 Island cotton since our last report, and over 400 bales have 

 been sold at prices varying chiefly between 1 7c?. and 20(1. The 

 sales are principally confined to Montserrat, St. Kitts, 

 Barbados, and Nevis. Prices are dearer and quotations are 

 raised Id. per lb. The better prices obtained are owing to 

 the rapid advance of Sakellarides Egyptian, the entire stock 

 of the better grades of the latter having been quite swept 

 off the market. Prices of Sakell have recently advanced 

 from 16i/. to 18J(^., and new crop is being purchased for 

 winter months at 15rf. for the best. 



