06 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



March 11, 1905. 



Indian Sea I.sland cotton, shipped from Barbados by 

 Messrs. H. E. Thorne & Son, was also sold at IGi'/. 

 per lb. A small lot of 3 h:\gn of very fine cotton shipped 

 from St. Kitt's obtained similar prices. 



As shown in a recent letter received from the 

 British Cotton-growing Association, published in 

 another column, the above are regarded as splendid 

 prices, but it will be impossible to obtain them 'unless 

 the cotton has been exceptionally well cultivated and 

 well harvested.' 



From another source the Imperial Commissioner 

 of Agriculture was informed that the first consignment 

 of Barbados Sea Island cotton ' leaves little to be 

 desired:' also that in brightness and lustre, the best 

 cotton shipped during this season from the West Indies 

 'far excels the Carolina cotton, though the latter has 

 the advantage in hardness [strength] of staple.' 



While it must be a source of great satisfaction to 

 cotton growers in these colonies to receive such glowing 

 reports on their first shipments this j'ear, especially in 

 view of the drop in prices, it is only right that they 

 should I'ealize that these reports apply only to cotton 

 of the highest ipiality raised from Rivers' seed and 

 where the most careful attention has been devoted to it 

 during growth, as well as ni ginning and baling. 



In cases where inferior seed has been used, or 

 where the land is poor and the cotton worm has not 

 been kept in check, it will be impossible to realize the 

 prices above referred to. It is hoped, therefore, that 

 the publication of these figures will not lead to false 

 ex])ectations. There is, probably, no crojJ where skill 

 and unremitting attention receive so large a reward as 

 in growing and marketing Sea Island cotton. 



Anxiety has been expressed iu some quarters 

 whether the high prices at present ruling for sugar 

 may not lead the planters to devote less attention to 

 cotton and thus resvdt in the undoubtedly favourable 

 position obtained for West Indian Sea Island cotton 

 during the last two years being abandoned in favour of 

 sugar. It is, however, to be borne in mind that the 

 present prices for sugar are not likely to continue, and 

 that cotton of the finest quality will grow in soils and 

 under conditions that will not yield large crops of 

 canes. There is also to be considered the possibility 

 in some islands, as at St. Kitt's, of growing cotton as 

 a catch crop on cane lands. If the land, already 

 prepared and manured for sugar-cane, is planted with 

 cotton, say in June or July, the cotton will be ripe for 

 picking from the beginning of November to the end of 



January. The cotton plants could then be removed, 

 and the growing canes (planted in Xovember or 

 December) left in undisturbed possession of the land. 

 It remains to be proved whether this plan is capable of 

 being fidl}' carried out on a large scale. In an}' case 

 the land, if n^ipiired to bear a double crop, must receive 

 high cultivation and be well maiuired. 



The jjreferable arrangement would be to grow the 

 canes in the best soils with a good rainfall and plant 

 the cotton by itself in the lighter lands under drier 

 conditions. It has been shown that cotton will flourish 

 with a much lower rainfall than the sugar-cane. In 

 fact, during the present exceptionally dry season at 

 St. Kitt's, Nevis, Antigua, and Montserrat cotton has 

 yielded fiirly large crops in districts where the sugar 

 canes are stunted and poor. Under such circumstances 

 cotton would pay better than sugar. 



Just now, when the first pickings of cotton are 

 over, it is desirable that the cotton plants, if still 

 vigoro\is and health}*, should be retained for the second 

 pickings w hich shoidd come on about the end of March 

 and the beginning of April. In cases where the old 

 shoots are dr}- and withered these might be cut out to 

 allow the new growths around the base to develop and 

 bear crops. If, however, the leaf-blister mite is preva- 

 lent, this latter plan would have to be abandoned and 

 the plants removed at once in onler not to encourage 

 the mite and other jjests. 



It is strongly recommended that all the cotton 

 fields in the Windward and Leev. ard Islands be cleared, 

 and the refuse burnt, by the end of May, or at all events 

 before the new crop ap])ears above ground. It is only 

 by such means that the mite, rust, mildew, and other 

 pests can be kej)t in check and the cotton plants 

 generally maintained in a healthy condition. The 

 soundness of this advice has been abundanti}' proved 

 during the last year. Wherever an attempt has been 

 made to ratoon cotton, that is to carry it over from one 

 season to another, the result has been uniformly 

 unsatisfoctory. 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 would appear, 

 from the experience of recent years, that the finest sorts 

 of Sea Island cotton can only bo produced in these 

 islands by ainiual sowings in fresh soil. 



The most f^ivourable months for planting in the 

 Windward and Leeward Islands ai-e now shown 

 to be from June to September, depending on 

 the rains. The land should be \Yell prepared and 



