86 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



Maeoh 18, 1911. 



WEST INDIAN COTTON. 



Messrs. Wolstenholme and Holland, of Liverpool, 

 write as follows, under date February 27, witli reference 

 to the sales of West Indian Sea Island cotton : — 



Since our last report, between two and three hundred 

 bales of West Indian Sea Islands have been sold at easier 

 prices. 



The sales are chierty St. Kitts, Xevis and Barbados at 

 18d. to ■20d. 



There is still great pressure to sell all Sea Island growths, 

 with few buyers. 



The report of Messrs. Henry VV. Frost & Co., on 

 Sea Island cotton in the Southern States, for the week 

 ending February 2.5, is as follows: — 



With sales of only 50 bale.s the market has remained 

 quiet and unchanged throughout the week, and as in the 

 absence of demand, Factors are continuing to hold for their 

 previous prices, we have only to repeat our last quotations, 

 viz: — 



E.xtra Fine Islands at 33c.: 

 Fully Fine „ 32c. = 



Fine „ 30c. = 



:18|c?. c.i.f. it 5 per cent. 

 - A I :fw. ,, ,, ,, ,, 



■ ID^U. ,, ,, ,, ,, 



BRAZIL AS A COTTON-GROWING 



COUNTRY. 



In considering the sources of cotton supply outside the 

 Southern States of America, the potentialities of Brazil are 

 often overlooked and underestimated. Mr. H. Priestley, who 

 has just returned from the cotton-growing districts of Brazil, 

 directs attention to them. It will surprise many to be told, 

 pn his authority, that there is a larger cotton-growing area in 

 Brazil than in the United States, although the amount of 

 cotton actually grown in Brazil is barely one-third the quant- 

 ity grown in the United States. Millions of bales more could 

 be grown in l?razil if the cotton users of Lancashire would 

 only interest themselves in the matter. The (Jermansare quite 

 alive to the possibilities of the country in the way of cotton- 

 growing, and within the last four months a wealthy German 

 syndicate has secured three large tracts oi land in three of 

 the cotton-growing provinces of Brazil. Mr. Priestley saj'S 

 (and he has had practical ex[)erience in cotton-growing in one 

 of our colonies from which much is expected, namely 

 Northern Nigeria) cotton grows lieautifully in Brazil. There 

 arc practically no pe.sts, and, if native labour is not very 

 abundant, plenty of Italians are available. Brazil would 

 .seem to ofler the most promising field for cotton-growing 

 outside the United States, (.lovrual of tin Roi/nl Snciet)/ of 

 Arts, December 30, 1910.) 



THE BRITISH COTTON GROWING 



ASSOCIATION. 



The following is taken from an aeeoitnt of a recent 

 meeting of the Council of the British Cotton Crowing 

 Association: — 



The eighty-fourth meeting of the Council of the British 

 Cotton Growing Association was held at the offices of the 

 Association, 15 Cross Street, Manchester. The Eight Hon. 

 the Earl of Derby, G.C.V.O. (President), occupied the chair. 



Before proceeding with the formal business, the President 

 alluded to the serious illness of Mr. Crinion, and e.xpressed 

 the hope that he might soon recover his usual health. 



LAOOS. It was reported that the cotton-buying agreement 

 was now being signed by all the merchants, and a cable had 

 been sent to the Acting Manager in Lagos, instructing him 

 to pay an all-round price of 1(7. per !?>. for seed-cotton. 



NOETHEKX NIGERIA. The Association Manager's report 

 on his tour through the Kano and Zaria provinces was consi- 

 dered very satisfactory. The Kano province is the richest in 

 the country, and contains 30,000 square miles, with a popu- 

 lation of two million peoiile, who are most industrious and 

 educated, and at the present time it is estimated that at least 

 5,000 tons of seed-cotton is grown annually in the province. 

 The cotton produced in the Zaria province is estimated at 

 about 3,000 tons The opinion was e.xpressed that the future 

 of the industry in Northern Nigeria would depend to a great 

 extent upon whether the natives would be willing to sell their 

 cotton at If?, per lb.; and it is hoped that, with the im[)orta- 

 tion of manufactu+ed cotton goods, the local demand for the 

 raw cotton will diminish. 



It was reported that the site for the Zaria ginnery had 

 been settled, liut the erection of the plant was being delayed 

 until the Executive Committee had had an opportunity of 

 consulting with the Governor, Sir Henry He.-<keth Bell, at 

 the Colonial Office in the ensuing week. 



It was mentioned that a book had recently been [lub- 

 lished by Major Ross on the Prevention of Malaria, containing 

 some very valuable directions for preventing the disease. It 

 was decided to take such steps as may be necessary to render 

 the conditions under which the Association's employees are 

 living in West Africa as healthy as possible. It is hoped 

 that Major Ross will arrange for the puV>lication of an 

 abridged edition of the book. 



NVAs.\t..\Ni) 'Some discu.ssion took place with regard to 

 the inadequate transport facilities, and it was suggested that 

 pipssibly the best solution of the difficulty might be tli€ exten- 

 sion of the railway from Port Herald to I'.eiia -a distance of 

 about 200 miles. It was pointed out that this question of 

 transport would be brought forward for discussion at the 

 next conference at the Colonial Office. 



