lU 



THE AGRICULTUKAL NEWS. 



Al'KIL 



1905. 



the average of years, it is probable that cotton planted 

 between the beginning of June and the end of August 

 is likely to obtain favourable conditions, and the 

 planter, each in his own district, ninst determine the 

 right time to sow. 



Cotton planted, say, in June to August should 

 yielil the first pickings of seed-cotton from October to 

 December and the second pickings from February to 

 March or April. Thus the cotton croj) may occupy the 

 land from June to the end of January imder one set of 

 conditions or from August to the end of April under 

 other conditions, depending on the time of sowing and 

 the character of the season. 



The point that it is -lesirable to impress upon all 

 planters of Sea Island cotton is that whether the 

 second pickings come to an end in January or 

 in April, it is important that the fields should then be 

 cleared of all cotton plants, which should be burnt or 

 buried, whichever is more convenient. In some cases 

 the cultivation is merely abandoned and stock turned 

 into the fields. Where the leaf-blister mite, black boll, 

 and other diseases are prevalent, this is not sufficient, 

 as the cotton plants still left, and diseased, may infect 

 all newly planted areas in the neighbourhood. This 

 subject is discussed in the following extract from 

 a report by Mr. Ballon after a visit to Montserrat 

 in 1903 :— 



I have carefully discus.sed the inatter of ratoon.s and 

 believe that every effort should be made to persuade all 

 cotton growers to cut and to burn carefully all cotton plants 

 as soon as the present crop is harvested. I talked also with 

 several peasant proprietors and they all expressed their 

 willingness to follow the advice of the officers of the Imperial 

 Deiiaitment of Agriculture and tlie example of the managers 

 of the estates in the i.sland. 



There are several points in favour of entirely re|ilanting 

 fresh areas, which should be prondnently brought forward in 

 a disous.-^ion on tlie matter of ratoons : — 



((() Some time will elapse between the end of the 

 present crop and the next planting season. If all cultivated 

 cotton be carefully destroyed as soon as the crop is harvested, 

 the leaf-blister mite will be deprived of its lodgement in the 

 fields and probably l>e greatly reduced in numbers on the next 

 crop. Eatoons are also breeding places for scale insects and 

 other pests. 



(Ij) Planting is not expensive, and gC)od seed can be 

 obtained at a very low co.st. 



('•) Mr. Watson is of opinion that the filire produced by 



ratoons is less in quantity than, and of inferior quality to, 

 that i)ro(lueed liy plant cotton. 



(rf) All cotton seed used in planting the next crop 

 should l>e treated with carbon bisulphide. This will prevent 

 the introduction of new pests with imported seed, and 

 destroy any which may be harbouring in the seed raised in 

 the island. 



In clearing the present cotton fields great care should be 

 exercised to remove every plant and all pieces should be 

 picked off the ground and burned. I noticed that labourers 

 are often careless, and unless continnallj' watched, will leave 

 a great ileal of infested material lying about. In the case of 

 very extreme infection, the land might be scorched over by 

 covering it with cane trash and burning. This would 

 produce sufficient heat to destroy the weeds, and a very 

 large proportion of the nntes, and would probably not seriously 

 reduce the amount of humus in the soil. 



In closing, it may be useful to reproduce what was 

 stated upon the same subject in the Aijricultural 

 Nnv»,\o\. IV, p. (i6:— 



It is strongly reconunended that all the cotton fields in 

 the ^^'indward and Leeward Islands be cleared, and the 

 refuse [buried or] burnt, by the end of Maj', or at all e\'ents 

 bffore tlie neiv crop appears above yround. It is only by such 

 means that the nute, rust, mildew, and other pests cau be 

 kept in check and the cotton plants generally maintained in 

 a healthy condition. The soundness of this advice has been 

 abundantly proved during the last two years. Wherever an 

 attempt has been made to ratoon cotton, that is to carry it 

 over from one season to another, the result has been 

 uniforndy unsatisfactory. The plants have been weak and 

 sickly, and the quality of the fibre has been impaired. This 

 was specially dwelt upon by Mr. E. L. Oliver during his 

 recent visit to the West Indies. It ipou/d appear, from the 

 eaperience of recent i/ears, that the Jiiiest sorts of Sea Island 

 cotton can only be pirodrtced in these islands by annual 

 soirnii/s rn fresh soil. 



SUGAR INDUSTRY. 



Observations on Muscovado Sugar. 



The following is the second part of 'Some 

 observations on Muscovado Sugar ' by the Hon. Francis- 

 Watts, C.M.G., D.Sc, Government Analytical and 

 Agricultural Chemist for the Leeward Islands. The 

 first part was [lublished in the last issue of the Agri- 

 ctilfand N'cirs. Part II deals with: — 



