322 



THE AGRICULTUEAL NEWS. 



OUTOBEE 21, 1905. 



last; but it is impossible at this date to predict what 

 the final result will be.' Unless there are developments 

 of an entirely unexpected character, it is probable that, 

 with a total crop not appreciably larger than the last, 

 prices will not be seriously affected and the best cotton 

 produced in the West Indies may not improbably reach 

 values only slightl}', if at all, below those of last year. 



There is another feature of the situation that 

 deserves consideration and that is the steadily 

 increasing consumption of Sea Island cotton by mills 

 in the United States. It is evident that, year by year, 

 the people in the States are using more Sea Island 

 cotton for manufacturing purposes, and it follows that 

 there must be a smaller quantity left for export to Lan- 

 cashire and elsewhere. From statistics given in the 

 An n ual Circuldr )\ist issued by Messrs. Henry W. Frost 

 & Co., it is shown that the consumption of Sea Island 

 cotton in the United States is larger than ever. During 

 the year 1903-4 the northern and southern mills took 

 39,324 bales, while during the year 1904-5 they took 

 63,430 bales or an increase of 24,10G bales. This was 

 equivalent to the whole of the increased production of 

 Sea Island cotton during the crop of 1904-.5. 



It would not be wise to attach too much 

 importance to these figures, but they confirm reports 

 showing a tendency on the part of the United States 

 to enlarge the use of Sea Island cotton, and sliouhl 

 this continue the fine spinners in the United Kingdom 

 and in Europe will have to look for other sources of 

 supply than the Sea Islands for silky, long-staple 

 cottons, which are necessary for the continuance of 

 their special industry. 



The British Cotton-growing Association is fully 

 aware of the facts herein stated, and the Council has 

 given public expression to the opinion that, should the 

 supply of Sea Island cotton from the United States 

 fail to come up to their requirements, they will have 

 to look elsewhere, and preferably to British colonies, 

 for the raw material hitherto obtained from South 

 Carolina. 



Owing to the action taken by the Imperial Depart- 

 ment of Agricultui-e, planters in the West Indies have 

 been placed in an exceptional position in regard to the 

 development of the new industr}-. Every form of 

 encouragement, consisting of good seed at low prices, 

 the establishment of expeiimcnt plots, the services of 

 travelling instructors and trained experts, the delivery 

 of popular illustrated lectures, the free distribution of 

 literature in the form of readable leafiets and 



pamphlets, and the establishment of several central 

 ginning factories, and, beyond all, the powerful assistance 

 of the British Cotton-growing Association in finding 

 a favourable mai-ket for the produce, has been given to 

 growers, with the result that only in the third year of 

 experimentation the exports of Sea Island cotton from 

 the West Indies will jirohnbly amount to 1,000,000 lb., 

 of the value of £50,000. The price obtained for West 

 Indian Sea Island cotton, as compared with South 

 Carolina Sea Island cotton, has been most satisfactory. 

 During the last year the West Indian cotton sold at 

 about 2d. to Sd. per lb. above the average price of good 

 ordinary South Carolina cotton. 



Allusion is made above to the practice of 

 ' ratooning ' cotton adopted b}' some of the less careful 

 planters in these colonies. To ratoon Sea Island cotton 

 is a suicidal policy. Those whij adopt it and allow 

 neglected fields of cotton to remain in close proximity 

 to those newly planted not only injure their own 

 interests but also spoil the prospects of their neighbours 

 and threaten the success of the industry. In order 

 that buyers on the other side should not be misled and 

 the high character already acquired by West Indian 

 cotton should not be lost, it is important that ' ratoon ' 

 cotton should be marked and shipped as such and kept 

 entirely distinct from 'crop' cotton. 



After all, the simplest and safest plan would 

 be to abandon the practice of ratooning altogether and 

 thus avoid all risk of injuring the industry. 



RAT VIRUS IN DOMINICA. 



In reference to the note in the last issue of the 

 Agrkidt'ural News (p. 319), it may be of interest to 

 ])ublish the following notice that appeared in the 

 Dominica Official Gazette of September 30 : — 



Heceiit trials of Liverpool rat virus in Dominica 

 having shown good results in checking the depredations of 

 rats in cacao fields, it is proposed that the virus be regularly 

 imported by the Imperial Department of Agriculture 

 according to the demands of planters for it. 



In order that the virus may be placed in the hands of 

 purchasers in a perfectly fresh condition, it is neces.sary for 

 consignments to be brought from England on ice, and kept 

 on ice after arrival until delivery to planters, when it should 

 be used at once, care being taken not to expose it to light. 



The cost of the virus is 2s. CkL per small tube, and 8«. 

 jier large tube, with a small additional charge to cover freight, 

 etc. The large tube contains six times as much virus as 

 the small one. Full directions for applying the virus are 

 gi\en with each tube. 



The Curator of the Botanic Station will undertake to 

 forward orders for any virus, the cost of which may be 

 prepaid, or will be happy to give full information to parties 

 desiring to import for themselves. 



