27« 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



September 2, 1911. 



WEST INDIAN COTTON. 



Messrs. Wolstenholme and Holland, of Liverpool, 

 write as follows, under date August 1-5, wiih reference 

 to the sales of West Indian Sea Island cotioii : — 



No business has been reported in West Indian Sta 

 Islands during the past fortnight, spinners being quite indif- 

 ferent about adding to their stocks, until there is some 

 demand for yarn. 



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

 Sea Island cotton in the Southern States, for the week 

 ending August 12, states that ther.j has been no cliange 

 since the last report. 



COTTON IN ALGERIA. 



The Journal dC Agriculture Tropicale for May 1911, 

 p. 133, contains an article by M. C. JUviere, Director of the 

 Experiment Station of Algiers, in which the author criticises 

 the conclusions reached concerning the cultivation of cotton 

 in Algeria, in a recent report issued by I'Association Coton- 

 niere Coloniale. 



M. liivicre states that for .some time he has considered 

 that the climate and labour conditions in Algeria do not lend 

 themselves to the obtaining of satisfactory yields from the 

 qotton plant, and that this opinion is the result of observations 

 extending over forty-three years. Since 1853, the growing of 

 cotton in the country has been encouraged by the French 

 Government, and it apjiears to be a fact that any develop- 

 ment of cotton-growing in Algeria has been due to the stimu- 

 lus and artificial support given by means of bounties, prizes 

 and otKcial encourauement of every kind. Ic is considered 

 that, when tlie.se large subsidies and favours are witlnhawn, 

 the growing of the plant will cea.se immediately and com- 

 pletely. 



Cotton can probably be cultivated successfully in a few 

 restricted localities, and on certain irrigated lands, but it is 

 well known that the area in the country which can be irri- 

 gated during .summer is very limited. On the other hand, any 

 (iuccess with the crop in dry lands is always doubtful. 



There are other influences unfavourable to the cultivation 

 of cotton in Algeria; among these are spring f rusts, rain and 

 hail toward the end of the year, and the advent of unexpected 

 dry seasons. Further, during the long, rainless Aummer, the 

 devel()j)mcnt of the plant ceases, unless it can be watered 

 regularly. With respect to thi.s, irrigation in summer and 

 autumn is not always possible, for want of water; or if it can 

 be carried out, it is available only for small areas of land. 

 Even irrigation itself i.s unfavourable in certain districts, on 



ac'-onnt of the saltness of the water that has to be used. As 

 legards labour for the harvest, this is veiy dithcult to obtain, 

 and lids fact has always interfered with cotton-growing in the 

 country. Lastly, under the special conditions, sufficient 

 manure is never produced on ihe farm to keep the soil in 

 proper condition for growing cotton. 



Fii;ures are given to show that the proiiuction and value 

 of the cotton grown have steadily decreased since liJOT, and 

 the conclusion is reached that if this annual culture, which 

 does not oti'er any practical ditticuhies under proper circum- 

 stance.--, has remained in a stationary condition, if not one of 

 decrea>e, tliere fs something to show (hat good causes exist 

 for this state of affairs, which should be considered in assessing 

 the value of the cotton plant to the country. 



CARAVONICA COTTON. 



In the Agricultural Journal of India, Vf>l. V, p. 248, 

 there appears an article by (}. A. Ganimie, F.L.S., Imperial 

 Cotton Specialist for India. This reviews the results of trials 

 with Caravonica cotton in various parts of the world, and 

 attention is first given to e.vperiments in the Sudan, which it 

 was decided to discontinue, becau.-e the plants did not make 

 satisfactory growth, and the yield was inferior to that from 

 Egyptian cotton. Further, the writer gleans information 

 from articles concerning the subject, that have appeared in 

 the Indian Trade Journal and the Tropical Agrirulturist. 

 I'he former shows that attempts to grow the cotton were made 

 by several small growers in the vicinity of Cairns ((Queens- 

 land). Three varieties >vere tried, and it was demonstrated 

 that tbese are not constant in their cliaraoters, and that all 

 aie liable tn insect attacks when the plants are young. 



Dealing with the .second reference, it is .shown that this 

 is in the nature of an account of a long interview with 

 Dr. Tliomatis, the originator of the cotton, in which it is claim- 

 ed that the hybrids had required onl}' five years to become 

 establi.-hed. Criticis;;: is given of several of the statements 

 that were made during the interview, and it is shown that, 

 although good results are alleged to have been obtained in 

 Australia, Caravonica cotton has continually proveil a failure 

 in India; while even in the fornrer country, the only claim that 

 could be made :it the time of writing was that the cotton is 

 being grown (as' has been stated) by several small holders 

 near Cairns. The article concludes with the following 

 statements: — 



The tree cotton which will succeed as a field crop has 

 still to be discovered, and until it is really found and certified 

 to be a success by responsible and disinterested men, the 

 public in general will be well advised to withhold their finan- 

 cial support from well-meant, perhaps, but visionary .schcTno^^ 

 of amassing rapid fortunes from tree cotton cultivation 



