*.-!> 



A FORTNIGHTLY REVIEW 



OF THE 



IMPERIAL DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOR THE WEST INDIES. 



UBi<An"v 



.-4EW YOrtK 



BOTANICAL 



GARDEN 



Vol. IV. No. 76. 



BArtBADOS, ilAECH 11, lOO-',. 



Price Id. 



Cotton Prospects, 



N the Ayricidtivrul iYeics (Vol. Ill, p. 417) 

 attention was drawn to the fact that 

 owing to the colossal crop of cotton pro- 

 duced in the United States in the autumn of 1904 

 a considerable fall in prices had been the result. This 

 fall specially affected the ordinary or Upland cotton. 



During the early pai't of 1904 the jirices of Upland 

 cotton reached about 9(/. per It). Quite lately prices 

 have fallen to less than 4(^. per tb. As stated by- 

 Mr. C. M. Wolstenholmo, this sudden break in prices 

 in Upland cotton shtMild pro\'o to planters in the 

 West ludies the folly of suggesting the planting of 

 any other than long-staple cotton. The soil, climate, 

 and labour conditions existing at Barbados, St. Vincent, 

 Montserrat, Antigua, and St. Kitt's-Nevis have shown 

 that with care in cultivation and in picking at exactly 

 the right stage, and free from all e.\traneous matter, 

 these islands are capable of growing Sea Island cotton 

 of the highest quality and at a lower cost than in any 

 other part of the world. 



It is true that the prices of Sea Island cotton 

 have also declined in sympathy with the fall in 

 Upland cotton, but, so far, the Sea Island cottoai 

 shipped from the West Indies (thanks to the efforts 

 of the British Cotton-growing Association) has met 

 with a very favourable reception, and the prices of the 

 best qualities are only a little below those of last year. 

 For instance, of 24 bales of Sea Island cotton shipped 

 from Barbados in R.M.S. ' Orinoco ' on January 15 last, 

 14 bales sold at l^d. per lb., 6 bales at IM., and 

 4 bales at 15(?. per lb. The best qualities were 

 described as ' clean, very bright and extra-fine 

 long staple:' the poorer qualities ' bright and fine but 

 little stained and wanting in preparation.' The 

 difference of ll(/. per tb. between the best and lowest 

 qualities in this instance was due to the method 

 adopted in the cultivation and, in one case, to careless- 

 ness in picking. A further lot of 10 bales of West 



