294 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



September 16, 19n. 



WEST INDIAN COTTON. 



Messrs. Wolstenholme and Holland, of Liverpool, 

 write as follows, under date August 28, with reference 

 to the sales of West Indian Sea Island cotton : — 



(Jwing to the labour troubles in Lancashire, no business 

 has been repoited in West Indian Sea Island cotton during 

 the last fortnight. 



Sea Island crop accounts from America are generally 

 favourable. 



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

 Sea Island cotton iu the Southern States, for the week 

 ending August 19, is as follows:-— 



Another week has passed without any demand, and the 

 unsold stock is still practically held ott' the market. "We 

 renew our last quotations which are nominal. 



We quote, viz : 



Fully Fine at 28c. = l-5^ii. c.i.f. i^i: .5 per cent. 

 Fine :26c. = Ui^rf. „ „ 



Stains and Off Grades 20c. to 24c. = 1 1 Id. to lohd. 

 c.i.f. & 5 per cent. 



TRIALS OF COTTON VARIETIES IN 

 INDIA. 



, The Mepoit on tlie Proyresx of A</ri€idt are in India for 

 190'.)- 10 shows that trials of exotic varieties of cotton have 

 been contivuied in that country, on Government Farms and 

 in the holds of cultivators. In regard to J'Igyptian cotton, 

 cultivation is being encouraged by the (iovernment of 

 I'lombay, by the regular supply of irrigation water at the time 

 of sowing, and by the granting of a rebate of one rupee of land 

 revenue on every acre planted in this cotton. It is stated 

 that the success of attempts to grow Egyptian cotton in 

 India will depend upon proper cultivation and the sowing of 

 the seed of the right kind; the avoidance of barren ground 

 and if possible the making of a rotation with bersim 

 {Trifotium ale.randrinum); and the provision for the proper 

 preparation and disposal of cotton lint. 



Fairly extensive experiments have shown that the pro- 

 duction is pos.sible, under ordinary circum.stanccs, of a good 

 class of American cotton, in Sind; this is because it possesses 

 a shorter growing period than the native cotton (Sindhi) and 

 can therefore be .sown on inundation canals; thus opening 

 a very large area on which it can be grown. Kecent experi- 

 mental trials have given yields of 82.5 to 900 ft), per acre of 



seed-cotton, and the reports on the lint from Liverpool were 

 favourable. It is recognized, however, that the provision of 

 buying agencies is necessary to its successful introduction. 



A large adaptability to varying conditions in India has 

 been shown by a form of L'pland Georgian received from 

 Cochin-China and described generally under the name Cam- 

 bodia. This can be used for spinning higher counts of yarn 

 than any of the native Madras cottons, and it also gives very 

 heavy yields, under suitable cultivation. .'\t Dharwar, two 

 year.s' trials have afforded a yield of about 500 lb. of seed- 

 cotton per acre, showing the high ginning percentage of 39; 

 good results have been obtained under a rainfall of only about 

 2-5 inches. Another type of Upland Georgian is described 

 under the name of Buri; this is n>ore particularly suited to 

 districts of heavy rainfall, and has been rai.sed very success- 

 fully. In the Punjab, Dharwar American is being largely 

 sown but is not continuing to ou.'=t the De.shi variety, as the 

 latter proved profitable in 1909. In Burmah, trials are being 

 made for the purpose of introducing a suitable cotton, and 

 there have been numerous private demands for Sea Island 

 cotton seed. 



'I'he experience with tree cottons in India has been in 

 accordance with what was stated in an article having refer- 

 ence to the subject, in the last number of the Agricultural 

 J/'fws (page 278), and the position is summed up shortly in 

 the Iteport by .'ayingthat experiments with tree cottons have 

 resulted in failure, l-^tforts to introduce the ISourbon cotton 

 into the Bombay and Madras Presidencies were disai)pointing, 

 though in one district, in I'.urmah, recent trials are indicating 

 success with Pernambuco tree cotton. As in the case of the 

 t'ourbon cotton, trials with Brazilian, Bough Peruvian and 

 a few others have failed completely. Finally, in regard to 

 this matter, the chief objection to the introduction of tree 

 cottons as field crops, as mentioned l>y Mr. Gammie, Imperial 

 Cotton Specialist, are quoted, namely: (1) the urgent water 

 requirements of such cottons, in their early stages; (2) the 

 great probability of no yield in the first year; (."]) ihe risk of 

 damage by wounds; (4) the increased danger from insect 

 pests, as ihe.sc are harboured and carried over from year to 

 year; (5) the imperfect o[)ening of the boll, which is usually 

 accompanied by damaged cotton: and (6) the inferior yield 

 throughout, as compared with that of native v.rrieties, or 

 a fairly large return in the first year, followed by steadily 

 diminishing annual yields. 



A rcpoit shows that, owing to heavy rainfall during last 

 month, a certain amount of damage was done in St. Vincent 

 to cotton cultivations in dilVerent parts of the i.sland, and 

 planters have found it dillicult to keep the fields clear of 

 weeds. 



