Vol. XVI. No. 394. 



THE AGKICULTUKAL NEWS 



173 



BESEARCH AND THE BRITISH COTTON 

 INDUSTRY. 



At the end of July of last year, at the instance of the 

 Advisory Council of the Oomiuittee of the Privy Council for 

 Scientific and Industrial Research, a meeting of representa- 

 tives of some of the larger firms engaged in the various 

 branches of the cotton trade and others interesied in Textile 

 Research was called by the I.ord Mayor of Manchester to 

 consider the possibility of establishing a scheme for the 

 scientific investigation of the various problems presented by 

 the cotton-using industries; and it was agreed that there is 

 great need for research bearing on the cultivation and manu- 

 facture of cotton, and in the dyeing, printing, bleaching, and 

 other finishing processes. It was also thought that efforts 

 should be made to increase and to improve the system of 

 textile education. At an adjourned meeting it was decided 

 that some practical steps should be taken to organize a com- 

 plete scheme for these two purposes. A Provisional Committee 

 was appointed and this, in due course, was constituted a 

 Committee of the Advisory Council of the recently formed 

 Government Department of Scientific and Industrial 

 Research. 



This Committee is largely representative of the various 

 interest.s concerned. Its function is to formulate a prelim- 

 inary scheme of a comprehensive character and to report to 

 the Advisory Council; and then to lay before the trade, for 

 its consideration, definite proposals for the establishment of 

 a Research Association, eligible for recognition by the Govern- 

 ment Department and consequently for monetary grants from 

 the National Exchecjuer. 



The Provisional Committee consists at present of the 

 following members: Mr. J. W. McConnel (Fine Cotton 

 Spinners' Association, Ltd.), Chairman; Mr. H. R. Armitage, 

 (Bradford Dyers' Associuion, Ltd ); Dr. W. Lawrence 

 Balls (Late of the Khedivial Agricultural Society of Egypt 

 and the Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture): Messrs. T D. 

 Eailow (Mps'rs P.iirlow and .Tones. Ltd. 1: F. W. Barwick 

 (Manchester Chamber of Commerce Tesling House): Stanley 

 Bourne (Cotton Doubler, representing the Nottingham 

 Chamber of Commerce); Lindsay Cropper (Messrs. .J. J: P. 

 Coats, Ltd.); Henry P. Greg (Messrs. R. Greg & Co.); J. C. M. 

 Garnett (Manchester School of Technology and the Univer- 

 sity of Manchester); A. E. Hawley (Dyer, representing the 

 Leicester Chamber of Commerce); Forrest Hewit (Calico 

 Printers' Association, Ltd.); E. L. Hoyle (Messrs. .Josliua 

 Hoyleit Sods, Ltd.): Alfred J. King (Bleachers" Association 

 Ltd.): Kenneth Lee (Me.ssrs. Tootal Broadhurst Lee Co., Ltd.,; 

 .J. H. Letter (Late of the Mandiester Chamber of Commerce 

 Testing House); James Prestwich (Federation of Master 

 Cotton Spinners' Association): Fred. J. Smith (P.citish Cotton 

 A: Wool Dyers' Association, Ltd.): and Charles H. Turner 

 (Cotton Spinners' and Manufacturers' Association). Mr. A. 

 Abbott, H.M. Inspector of Technical Schools, has been 

 appointed by the Advisory Council, with the concurrence of 

 the Board of Education, to act as Secretary pro tern. 



The Provisional Committee are holding fortnightly 

 meetings. 



They have to consider the place for Research in each 

 branch of the cotton industry, whether in the cultivation of 

 cotton, in spinning, doubling, manufacturing, knittint',. lace- 

 making, bleaching, dyeing, printing, finishing, or in the tech- 

 nology of cellulose. They have also to ascertain what 

 facilities now exist for the education of boys entering any of 

 these branches, and what opportunities are likely to 

 be offered by the trade for the employment of highly trained 



men. To complete their labours they will have to formulate 

 a scheme both for an Institute to undertake research work 

 in collaboration so far as practicable with existing bodies, and 

 for an Association of firms and individuals willing to make 

 donations and subscribe regularly for a period of years to 

 promote research and improve technical training. 



The terms and limitations under which the Association 

 can obtain its share of the million pounds granted by the 

 Treasury to promote Scientific and Industrial Research will 

 be ascertained by the Provisional Committee. 



Any suggestions relating to the researches to be 

 undertaken or to any other matters coming within the scope 

 of the proposed Association will be welcomed by the 

 Committee, and should be sent to the Secretary, Provisional 

 Committee on Cotton Research, 108, Doansgate, Manchester. 



REQUIREMENTS OF THE RICE PLANT 



AT DIFFERENT STAGES OF 



GROWTH. 



The food requirements of a plant at every stage 

 of its growth are not the same. At one period, for 

 instance, it will need potassium mucli more than at 

 another. This is particularly so with rice. Hence 

 the investigations of Mr. Jatindra Xath Sen, M.A.. of 

 the Agricultural Research Institute, Pusa, India, into 

 the assimilation of nutrients by the rice plant are 

 important and help us in connexion with manuring. 

 The following is the summary taken from Bulletin 6.5 

 (1916) of the Institute. It may be mentioned that 

 nearer home in Porto Rico the ash composition of 

 Upland rice has also been studied: — 



The total dry matter in a rice plant increases up to the 

 time of maturity, the largest increase in the weight of the 

 crop occurring however before the formation of the flowers. 



The percentage of nitrogen generally exhil.nts a steady 

 and continuous decrease from the first to the last period of 

 growth, 'he most rapid decline being noted in the second 

 period. In the roots, there is a very slight rise during the 

 last stages. 



Phosphoric acid content of the above-ground parts 

 remains practically the same except in the first stage and 

 during the flowering stage when it is slightly higher. In 

 the roots, there is a very slight but regular decline main- 

 tained through all the' stages. 



The percentage of potash in the above-ground parts 

 increases from the first stage to the preflowering stage, from 

 hence forward there is again a decline. In the roots it is 

 the same in the first two stages, after which there is 

 a continued fall. 



As the ears form and mature there occurs a concentration 

 of nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash in the grains at the 

 exi)ense of the other parts of the plant. 



The assimilation of nitrojien, phosphoric acid and 

 potash by the plant is fairly complete by the time flowers 

 appear. Henie enough plant-foods must be available for the 

 plant during the early stages. 



There does not happen any mif»ration of the absorbed 

 nitrogen and potash back into the soil. 



When there is a yield of 900 lb. dry grain, the soil suffers 

 a depletion of 29-33 R. nitrogen, 964 ft), phosphoric ai'id and 

 49-69 ft. pota.sh per acre by the removal of the grains and 

 straw. 



Tlie feeding values of the parts of the rice plant at 

 different stages of the growth have been determined. 



