Vol. IV. No. 89. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



279 



The following is a statemuut showing the amount 

 and estimated value of Sea Island cotton e.xpurted from 

 the West Indian Colonies (in order of output) during 

 the half-year ended June 30, 1905. 



SEA ISLAND COTTON FOR THREAD. 1 



One of the most important uses to which Sea 

 Island cotton is put is in the manufacture of 'sewing 

 cotton.' For this a very high grade of cotton is 

 necessary. The Cotton Trade Journal, of Savannah, 

 for August 5,. deals with the qualities of cotton most 

 desired for this purpose. The importance of this 

 trade to growers of Sea Island cotton is discussed as 

 follows: — 



Of great importance to the Sea Island planters and 

 merchants of the south is the fact that these reputations 

 for fine spool threads have largely been [lossible through 

 their individual efforts in the cotton fields. It requires long, 

 strong, good Sea Island cutton to make the best thread. It 

 is claimed that ICgyptian cotton is used tC) a large extent in 

 thread making, and that the better long-staple cottons are 

 occasionally used. These claims are doubtless true in some 

 ca.ses. The fact remains, however, that the reputation 

 upon which an industry amounting to millions of dollars 

 rests is the use of the finest grade of Sea Island cotton in 

 making their product. The thread makers who have these 

 reputations will not dare substitute any other staple for 

 their thread. It is commonly known that this would be 

 regarded by them as a most hazardous [jrocedure. Once the 

 quality begins to falter, the maker would be exposed to 

 attacks that would soon put his product out of demand. 



Planters should, tlierefore, realize the necessity for 

 keeping up the quality of their cotton, because thread 

 makers require the very best and are willing to pay fancy 

 prices to get it. As much profit may be made in the 

 quality of the cotton produced from a small acreage, as 

 would be made out of a poorer quality from a much larger 

 acreage. Closer attention shoukl be given to cultivation 

 from start to finish. 



The outlook in America for the thread trade, as judged 

 by reports to us from jobbers and merchants over the 

 country, is good, and promises to increase steadil}' from now 

 until fall. The demand is from both the army of one-spool 

 consumers and the large manufacturers, such as collar makers 

 who use 2,000-yard spools. The outlook being as it is, 

 encouragenrent exists for the planter to expect a satisfactory 

 price for his product. 



COTTON CULTIVATION AT JAMAICA. 



The Imperial Commissioner of Agriculture was 

 present at the half-yearly meeting of the Jamaica 

 Agricultural Society on August IG. In the course of 

 an address Sir Daniel expressed his pleasure at being 

 able to bear testimony to the interesting and valuable 

 work which the society was doing in Jamaica. Referring 

 to the subject of the cultivation of cotton, he said :— 



He had heard the previous day for the first time that 

 the cultivation of cotton had been very seriously handicapped 

 by the attacks of insect and fungoid pests. If specimens 

 had been sent to him, he would have been glad to afford 

 information as to methods of combating them. While on his 

 way from the United States in 1903, he had called at 

 Jamaica and delivered an address on cotton growing. He 

 had then i)oiuted out the difficulties likely to be met, and 

 drawn attention to the cotton worm, pointing out how 

 destructive it might be unless taken in hand. In other parts 

 of the West Indies the cultivators had no fear of the pest, 

 and they made provision for combating it with Paris green. 

 In Jamaica, however, cotton had been seriously attacked by 

 the worm. 



The cotton worm when fully grown was about 1 h inches 

 ong ; the right stage at which to attack it was soon 

 after it had hatched, when only about -} inch long. At 

 that stage it was capable of being destroyed by a very 

 light dusting of Paris green, later, at every stage, it was 

 more difficult to get rid of, until at last the crop was so 

 seriously damaged that it was not worth while to apply 

 Paris green at all. The important point was to detect the 

 worm directly it appeared. On that depended the whole 

 success of the treatment. The worm was mostly to be found 

 in the centre of the cotton field, consequently those persons 

 who merely rode round their fields would, in a short time, 

 have the larger piU-t of their crop destroyed, as the pest was 

 known to spread very rapidly. 



Sir Daniel then drew attention to an interesting paper, 

 by Mr. J. li. Bovell ([luljlished in the West Indian Bulhtin, 

 Vol. VI, no. 2) in which full details were given as to the 

 cost and profits of growing cotton on ten estates in Barbados 

 with 95} acres. The cost per acre of growing cotton varied 

 from 810'45 on one estate to 828"39 on another. 



The Imperial Department of Agriculture had handled, 

 during the half-year ended June 30 last, fully £10,000 worth 

 of cotton for Barbados. In Barbados, Antigua, and St. Kitt's- 

 Nevis, the people were increasing their cultivation by 50 per 

 cent., as they believed that cotton growing was a paying 

 concern. 



Of course the circumstances might be different in 

 Jamaica. He was not advocating cotton growing there ; he 

 was simply laying before them information in regard to the 

 industry. The exportation of cotton from Jamaica was 

 disappointing. According to figures supplied by the Collector 

 General, the value of the cotton exported from the island for 

 the half-year ended June 30 was £1,436. The value of 

 cotton exported from the West Indies generally for the same 

 period was a little below £40,000 : Barbados led with 

 a value of £10,000, and Nevis, St. Vincent, and St. Kitt's 

 followed closely. 



It may be of interest to add that it is stated in 

 the Journal of the Jamaica Agricultural Society 

 that the cotton crops in the Vere district turned out 

 very favourably, and the acreage was being considerably 

 extended. ' In all there may be fully 1.500 acres of 

 Sea Island cotton growing in Jamaica.' 



