150 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



May 20, 1905. 



Sea Island Cotton Industry. 



A correspondent writes: — 



What is the object of our present ctl'orts in regard 

 to cotton growingin the West Indies^ As well 

 e.xpressed by a Consiil-General of the United States, 

 it is ' to produce a high quality o( fibre for a special 

 class of tlie British textile trade.' 



If we are proposing to grow cotton irrespective of 

 ijuality, that is cotton of the ordinary Upland sorts, 

 fetching 4(/. to M. per it)., then it is not worth our 

 while to take further trouble in the matter. Other 

 countries are in a position to grow such cotton cheaper 

 than we can, and it would pay us better to turn our 

 attention to other crops. 



If however, we realize that our aim is to grow the 

 best cla.ss of Sea Island cotton, fetching 15'/. to 17*/. 

 per lb. (which these colonies have conclusively shown 

 they can produce), then the prospects of the industry 

 are as good as any in the West Indies. We have 

 special advantages in our soil and maritime climate 

 and can produce Sea Island cotton that is better than 

 anything grown elsewhei-e. What is necessary is : — 



(1) To obtain the best seed: this should be 

 selected and disinfected beforehand, and planted in 

 June, July, or August, according to the rain.s. Any one 

 who plants seed of inferior quality stands to lose 4(/. to 

 6(/. on every pound of cotton he jjroduces. 



(2) To select good land and have it well cultivated 

 and manured; good cotton in large quantity cannot be 

 grown on poor unmanured .soils : pen manure in 

 moderate quantity in addition to the artificial manures 

 suggested on pp. 57-8 of ' A.B.C. of Cotton Planting ' 

 have given excellent results: the cost would be at the 

 rate of about ?8 per acre. 



(.3) To keep a keen look-out for the cotton worm 

 and other pests : the moment these appear every 

 cotton planter should be ready to apjoly the necessary 

 remedies; they are simple and effective; weeders and 

 others should be encouraged to watch and report the 

 first appearance of the cotton worm. 



(4) To have the cotton regularly and carefully 

 picked as soon as the buds are fully open, and sent 

 clean and dry to the ginning factory : great improve- 

 ment is reported in the quality of the West Indian 

 cotton shipped this year, showing that the planters 

 have fully realized the importance of clean picking and 

 rejecting all immature and stained cotton. 



(5) To complete the first and second pickings 

 (according to the locality^ by the end of February, 



March, April, or May, and then uproot everything so as 

 to allow no old and diseased plants to be carried over 

 into the following season. 



(()) To avoid ratooning Sea Island cotton under 

 any circumstances; to ratoon Sea Island cotton (as 

 stated by Mr. Wolstenholme) 'will spell ruin to the 

 industry.' 



Cost of Ginning, Baling, and Sliipping. 



.Mr. J. R. BovelL F.L.S., F.C.S., Agricultural 

 Superintendent at Barbados, has forwarded the 

 following statement showing the expenses inciirred in 

 ginning, baling, and shipping a pound of Sea Island 

 cotton. The statement is prepared from the returns 

 obtained from the 40 bales (containing lo,947 lb. of lint) 

 shipped by the E.M.S. ' Tagus' on February 25 last. 

 The ginning and baling have been charged at lie. 

 per lb.: — ■ 



Expen.scs at Barbados : — 



Ginning, baling, etc. 



Marine insurance at £18 per bale 



Cartage at 1 Ac/, per bale 



Lighterage at 5<f. per bale 

 Expenses in England : — 



Discount, at 11 per cent. 



Dues 



Quay porterage ... 



Freight at lln. 6d. per ton measurement 1'31;5 



Attending .ship, cartage, housing, mend- 

 ing, stowing, delivery, etc. 



Warehouse rent ... 



Fire insurance 



Interest and bank commission on 

 freight, etc. 



Brokerage at 1 iier cent. 



Cents. 



I-.jOO 

 •l:3I) 

 •009 

 •029 



•4S0 

 •014 



•017 



•10:5 

 •009 

 •022 



l-t377 



•007 

 •320 



2^285 



Total expenses 



39G2 



The total expenses, it will be seen, are 8-9()2c. 

 per it), oi', say in round numbers, 4c. or 2(1. per lb. 



Selecting the best Seed. 



As showing that the importance of selecting the 

 best cotton seed for planting purposes is fully 

 recognized in the cotton districts of the United States, 

 we extract the following from the Rc^x/rt of Messrs. 

 W. W. Gordon, dated Savannah, April 28, 1905 :— 



Rea Island planters cannot be too careful in the .seed 

 tliey plant. In some sections, where cotton of excellent 



I 



