262 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



AucaisT 17, 1912. 



WEST INDIAN COTTON. 



Messrs. Wolstenholme and Holland, of Liverpool, 

 write as follows, under date July 29, with reference 

 4o the sales of West Indian Sea Island cotton : — 



Since our last report, about 250 bales of West Indian 

 •Sea Island cotton have been sold, nearly entirely composed of 

 St. Vincent at prices ranging from \8d. to 21rf., the remainder 

 being accounted for with a few Barbados 21(7. to 22(/,,St. Lucia 



■ at 14hd , and stains at M. to \0d. 



The stock is large and the demand for extra fine yarns is 

 very limited; spinners are disinclined to purchase until they 

 can obtain sales of extra fine lace yarn and form an idea as to 

 ■what the New Crop Carolina Sea Island will sell at. This 



■ crop begins to arrive in about October. As they have to buy 

 to stock, they are only prepared to do so at about 3J per lb. 



• below recent current prices. 



COTTON-GROWING IN HAWAII. 



The- po&itiun as regards cotton-growing in Hawaii 

 ■is thus summarized in Press Bulletin Xo. 34, issued by 

 the Hawaiian Agricultural Experiment Station on 

 May 2, 1912:— 



Cotton culture in some parts of Hawaii has been aban- 

 doned. In some locations this result was brought about 

 because of the damage done by the boll worm; in other regions 

 because they had conditions ill .suited to the best growth of 

 the crop. 



A good quality of cotton in paying quantities can be 

 produced under certain conditions. 



On the lower elevations, with a moderate supply of mois- 

 ture, with absence of, or protection from wind, with a good 

 supply of heat, and in fields that can be given horse cultiva- 

 tion — a good profit can be made in growing cotton even 

 under boll worm conditions. 



Because of the boll worm, Sea Island cotton should be 

 grown as an annual, and also only where there is no difficulty 

 in securing a stand. 



In drier locations, Caravonica will be likely to be the 

 better variety and should be grown only as a perennial. 

 Good yields will be obtained from this variety in the first 

 year only where the very best conditions of heat and moisture 

 exist. It requires an occasional pruning, which should be 

 given usually prior to the rainy season. Under certain con- 

 xiitions, two prunings can be given and two crops obtained, 

 and where this is possible greater immunity from the boll 

 worm will result. 



Careful handling of the staple is necessary at all times. 



A more uniform product can be secured by propagating 

 with buds or cuttings, but onlj- through the seeds is any 

 improvement possible. To secure this, hybridization must 

 be prevented or controlled; ail inferior plants or those having 

 undesirable ciualities must be destroyed; and seed must be 

 selected only from those which have desirable characters. 



In determining wLat is suitable environment for cottoa 

 in the islands, we find that locition evidently has far more 

 influence than the character of the soil. Any soil will grow 

 cotton (some, however, require fertilization, and in soma 

 perhaps the water might be too brackish), but some locations 

 preclude any possible chance of profit. 



Cotton-growing in Portuguese East Africa. 

 The only serious attempt at cotton growing in Portu- 

 guese East Africa was commenced last year by a large 

 Portuguese land company on the island of Bompono, in the 

 Zambesi. H. M. Consul at Lorenzo Marquez (Mr. 11. C. F. 

 Maugham) writes that the variety chosen was Americaa 

 long staple upland, grown from Nyasaland seed. The area 

 planted was 120 acres, and the resulting crop of 200 bales of 

 ginned cotton was valued in the United Kingdom at 7d. to 

 8(1 per lb. as regards the best parcels, and from dhd. to 6cZ. 

 for the middling. It is stated that the best quality pre- 

 dominated. This year it is intended to plant out 1,000 

 acres in the same locality, and the outcome of this second 

 experiment is awaited with much interest. (The Textile 

 Metriiry, Jlay 2.5, 1912.) 



Cotton in Siam. — It was thought at one time that 

 cotton might be profitably grown in Southern Siam, but 

 recent experiments are not very encouraging. A Japanese 

 .i;yndicate was formed with the object of cultivating cotton, 

 but its operations have not been successful, and the local 

 exhibits at the recent exhibition of agriculture and commerce 

 in Bangkok were pronounced to be generally poor. 

 Sir. Acting- Consul Crosby, in his report on the trade of 

 Bangkok, seems to think that the introducion of superior varie- 

 ties from other countries may be productive of good results, 

 but the high cost of labour is a severe handicap to planters. 

 Experiments have been tried with Egyptian cotton, but the 

 results have not been very satisfactoi'y, the staple turning out 

 little better than that of local varieties. It may be noted 

 that of the imports of cotton goods, the United Kingdom and 

 Singapore contributed, last year, 36 and 35 per cent., respec- 

 tively. (The Journal of the Royal I'iocufi/ of Arts, May 31, 

 1912.) 



