326 



THE AGllICULTUEAL KEWS. 



October 21, 1905. 



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COTTON CULTIVATION IN THE DUTCH 

 WEST INDIAN COLONIES. 



In a report on cotton cultivation in Dutch 

 colonies, published in the U. iS. J\fimtJdij Consular 

 Reports for June, the following reference is made to 

 the experiments being carried on in the West Indian 

 Colonies of Holland : — 



As to the colonies of Surinam uml Curac^ao, the ]n-os- 

 pects of a resumption of the cultivation of cotton are given 

 in Bulletin No. 2 of the agricultural inspection district of 

 the West Indies. This bulletin shows that on the island of 

 St. Eustatius experiments, which may be said to have been 

 satisfactory, were made with various sorts of cotton. On 

 St. Martin, with the assistance of the Government, iilantings 

 have been made which showed immediately that the 

 cultivation of cotton there was practicable. In 1904 the 

 Government advanced to a private individual in St. Martin 

 a sum of $600 for that purpose. No report has yet been 

 received in regard to an experiment on a small scale in the 

 district of Nickerie, in Surinam, in 1904. 



WEATHER CONDITIONS AND COTTON 

 GROWING. 



Experience in cotton growing in the West Indies has 

 shown that the yield is influenced more by rainfall than by 

 the artificial manuring of the soil. It has, however, been 

 pointed out that this ajiplies to lands that have borne but 

 one or two crops of cotton, and that, in the ca.se of lands 

 growing cotton continually, attention would have to be paid 

 to the manurial requirements of the jdant. Considering, 

 therefore, that so much depends upon the climatic conditions 

 to which the cotton crop is subjected, it may be of interest 

 to review briefly an important paper in the Yearhnok of 

 the U. S Department of Agriculture for 1904 on the 

 ' Relation of Weather Conditions to Growth and Develoj)- 

 ment of Cotton.' It must, however, be cleaily understood, 

 that the following notes contain the experience of growers 

 of Upland cotton in the United States. The conditions 

 under which Sea Island cotton is grown in the West Indies 

 are necessarily very different, but these notes may serve as 

 a basis for sinular observations in tliese islands. 



During the jilanting season there must bo frequent but 

 comparatively light showers to keep the soil in a moist 

 condition, favourable for germination. Should the soil 

 become dry and baked, the seeds will not obtain the required 

 nourfshment and but few plants will come up. 



If the first three months have been favourable, with 

 jjlenty of sunshine and only sufficient rain to furnislr 



nourishment to the jdant, cotton can stand plenty of raiu 

 for the next four or five weeks. But an excess of rain after 

 this causes the plants to make rank growth, while it is next 

 to impossible to keep the fields free from weeds and grass. 



During the blossoming period it is best that there 

 should be no more than the normal amount of rain. When the 

 jietals fall off and the small boll is left, little rain and plenty 

 of sunshine are required. If there is too much rain during the 

 fruiting season, the results are disastrous, new flowers ceasing 

 to be produced, and the small bolls falling off. 



During the picking season dry weather is needed. 

 Only sufficient moisture is required to nourish the growing 

 bolls hnd ojiening flowers. 



ST. VINCENT COTTON FACTORY. 



The Agricultural Superintendent h;\s forwarded 

 the following report on the work of the Central Cotton 

 Factory, St. Vincent, for the period January 1 to 

 September 23, 1905:— 



The factory was opened on .lanuary 1, but owing to 

 certain minor defects in the oil engine, work was not carried 

 on regularly until January 16, and then it was found that the 

 power generated w^as only sufficient to drive steadily three 

 gins. Work was carriecl on with the three gins until 

 February 24, when it was decided to jiurchase at a cost of 

 £300, the steam engine and boiler that were worked so 

 successfully during the i)revious season. On ^larch 14 work 

 was re-started with the steam engine with comi>lete success, 

 six gins and the disintegrator being driven with a full load. 



It should be mentioned that the disintegrator for 

 crushing cotton seed for feeding to stock and manure, was 

 installed at the same time as the steam engine by Mr. J. J. 

 Law, of Barbados. 



An efl'ort was made last season to form a company to 

 take over and work the factory, but without success; so 

 that, as last season, the factory was worked under the 

 control of the Agricultural Department. Jlr. Alex. Fra.ser 

 again acted as Manager, with a fresh overseer — !Mr. Ivan 

 Stephens. Both officers, I am glad to rei)ort, gave satisfaction. 



Work under this head was conqileted on June 30, and 

 from January 1, 281,606 lb. of seed-cotton were sent for 

 ginning, which gave 77,S14 lb. of lint and 199,941 11). of seed. 

 Tlie percentage weight of lint to weight of seed-cotton worked 

 out at 27'G per cent. The 77,814 B). of lint mentioned 

 above, were made up into 233 bales, the larger number of 

 wliich were made to contain 360 If), net., as it was pointed 

 out that buyers preferred purchasing lint put up in bales of 

 a uniform weight. No bales were shipped by the factory 

 during the i)eriod, the owners shipiiing direct to the British 

 Cotton-growing Association. 



