U7 



A FORTNIGHTLY REVIEW 



OF THE 



IMPERIAL DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOR THE WEST INDIES. 



Vol. IV. No. t<l. 



BARBADOS, MAY .'0, IDOn 



PnicE Id, 



CONTENTS. 



Cotton Oil Factory. 



N view of the progress made in conne.xion 

 with tlie Sea Ishmd cotton industry in the 

 West Indies, it is proposed to erect a small 

 plant at Barbados for the purpose of expressing and 

 refining the oil to be ebtaiiied from the seed. This 

 enterjjrise, we are glad to learn, is receiving the 



support of the British Cotton-growing Association, and 

 it is probable that the first Cotton Oil Factory to be 

 established in these colonies will be re.ady to begin 

 operations during the early part of next year. 



The opinion has already been expressed in these 

 pages that it is not desirable that the cotton seed 

 produced in the West Indies should be exported to 

 other countries, but that it should be retained, and 

 either crushed for the purpose of being used as cattle 

 food or disposed of to an oil factory tm the spot, on 

 condition that, after the oil is extracted, the seed 

 cake is returned to the grower, or bought by him on 

 advantageous terms for feeding purjioses. 



In the absence of an oil factory, the cotton seed 

 is at present being fed to stock in the crude state or 

 after it has been crushed in a disintegrator. In some 

 cases, it is being buried fairly deep in the soil to serve 

 as a manure. There is no doidot as to its value as 

 a fertilizer, but it is more economical to feed it to 

 stock, as in that case 80 per cent, of its manurial 

 value is recovered in the dung. 



An interesting article on the ' Fertilizing and 

 feeding value of Sea Island cotton seed ' is contained 

 in the West ImUnn Bulletin, Vol. V, pp. 223-32. 

 This will well rep.ay perusal to those who desire fuller 

 information on the subject. Sea Island cotton seed is 

 stated to have a hip;her fertlliziiKj value than Upland 

 cotton seed. It is shown that 1,826 tb. of Sea Island 

 cotton seed is equal in fertilizing value to 1 ton of 

 Upland cotton seed. As regards fcedliu/ value, Sea 



