Vol. V. No. 99. 



THE ACxRICULTUEAL NEWS. 



39 



PROSPECTS OP THE WEST INDIAN 

 COTTON INDUSTRY. 



The following letter from the Imperial Com- 

 missioner of Agriculture for the West Indies appeared 

 in the Mancliester GiutrcUan of December 28 last : — 



My attention has been called to an article which 

 originally appeared in the Manchester Guardian, and has 

 since been quoted in .several ne\vs[)aiier.s in the West Indies, 

 in which, on the authoiity of the United States Consul at 

 Barbados, it has been stated that ' the efforts to grow Sea 

 Island cotton in the West Indies are not as promising as 

 the cotton world had been led to believe by those who 

 thought that the cotton that was indigenous to the AVest 

 Indies would surely thrive in those parts.' 



I am in a position to assure you that there is no 

 foundation whatever for the view thus taken of the prospects 

 of cotton growing in this part of the world. For the nine 

 months ended September .30 last, we have exported 

 1,024,28.3 lb. of Sea Island cotton, of the estimated value of 

 £42,-54:5. It is probable that by the end of this year these 

 islands will export cotton to the actual value of £60,000, and 

 considering the industry was only started three years ago, it 

 must be considered very satisfactory progress. During the 

 coming year it is probable that the exports will be 50 per 

 cent, higher, and nothing has as yet appeared likely to retard 

 the devolopment of the cotton indu.stry, or to prevent its 

 being thoroughly established in these colonies. 



In support of what is herein stated I would refer you 

 to the first annual report of the Briti.sh Cotton-growing 

 Association for the year ended August 31 last, which can 

 leave no doubt as to the very promising condition of the 

 cotton industry in this part of the world. 



PICKING COTTON FROM DRIED UP 

 PLANTS. 



The fact that one cannot be too careful with the 

 cultivation of cotton is constantly being emphasized. From 

 the preparation of the land to the shii^ping of the cotton 

 there is no room for half measures, and if the crop is to be 

 a profitable one, thoroughness in every particular must be the 

 watciiword of the planter. 



When there is any doubt about the advisability of any 

 mode of procedure, the planter should seek advice from an 

 officer of the Department of Agriculture, when all the hell) 

 possible will be placed at his disposal. 



There is one important matter which it is desirable to 

 bring to the notice of cotton planters, viz., the picking of 

 cotton from bolls which have opened after the plants have 

 been cut down. When the plants have been pulled up, or 

 have been pruned with the idea of obtaining a second picking 

 from the new shoots which arise at the base of the old stems, 

 the old plants and plant tops are generally placed in a heap 

 in a corner of the field or the yard, and an)' immature bolls 

 which liappen to remain on the [plants will, probably, after 

 a time, burst open. The question then presents itself to the 

 planter — 'Am I right in picking the cotton from these bolls 

 and shipping it with the rest of the crop?' The answer to 

 such a question is, emphatically, ' No.' Such cotton should 

 not be shipped under any circumstances, unless the planter 

 wishes to destroy his reputation in the market. 



It is not difficult to realize the impossibility of such 

 cotton being as good as it would have been if it had 

 ripened while the plant was growing. When attached to the 

 living plant the fibres are made strong by their walls being 

 thickened, material being added to the inside of their walls 

 by means of the living substance which they contain, and 



unless tbis living substance can be supplied with food 

 material, the thickening of the walls will be brought to an 

 end. When the plant has been cut down, to wliatever stage 

 of growth the fibres have arrived, there they will remain. 



Some of the bolls may have arrived almost at the stage 

 at which they would have opened under normal conditions, 

 and it may be very difficult for an inexperienced man to 

 detect any deficiency in the quality of the cotton obtained 

 from these bolls; but, wherever there is the least doubt, the 

 Sea Island cotton planter must avoid injuring the quality of 

 his cotton. 



Where the practice obtains of picking cotton from dried 

 up plants of any kind and mixing it with the general crop, 

 the price obtained for it, as well as the reputation of that 

 particular estate, will seriously sutt'er. 



If the planter, in order to save waste, wishes to pick 

 the cotton from bolls on dried up plants he may do so, and 

 the seed can be used either for manure or for feeding cattle ; 

 but he must, on no account, entertain the idea of shipping 

 the lint. 



As has already been pointed out, in cotton cultivation 

 one cannot be too careful. Matters such as are indicated 

 above, should be dealt with in a responsible and intelligent 

 manner so that we may have in these colonies planters on 

 wliom the spinners can rely for cotton of a high and uniform 

 qualitj'. 



TRINIDAD CROWN LANDS. 



In the Trinidad Gazette Extraordinary, for 

 December 2, 190-5, the Land Regulations are published 

 for general information. The following extract is 

 likely to be of interest : — ■ 



Petitions to purchase rural land shall be made for 

 parcels of not less than 5 or more than 100 acres of such land. 



No petitioner will be permitted to petition for more 

 than one parcel of land at a time, and no second petition 

 from the same petitioner shall be received until at least 

 one-half of the land already granted to the said petitioner 

 has been brought under cultivation, e.xcept by express 

 permi.ssion of the Intendant and on his being furnished with 

 satisfactory proof that the second parcel is required for the 

 bona fide purpose of bringing it under cultivation at an early 

 date. 



Rural land shall be land other than land reserved or 

 land required to be reserved, or town or village lots or lands 

 forfeited to the Crown. Rural lands may be sold after 

 survey on approval by the Sub-Intendant at the cash price 

 of £i 10«. sterling an acre, which sum will include the cost 

 of survey and grant and assurance fund contribution to the 

 Heal Property Ordinance. 



Such further price as the Governor may direct may be 

 charged as improved value in respect of any land which may 

 be cultivated or otherwise improved. 



Swamp land may be sold at an upset price of £2 

 sterling an acre to cover all fees and contribution as before 

 stated. 



Petitions for parcels of land comprising more than 

 100 acres shall be submitted, in the first instance, through 

 the Sub-Intendant to the Governor, who shall fix the price 

 for the same, such price not to be less than £5 sterling an 

 acre, except in special instances and by permission of the 

 Secretary of State for the Colonies. 



Except by express permission of the Governor in 

 specially exceptional case, no petition shall be received for 

 any parcel of rural land unless it bounds, or is immediately, 

 by survey, connected with lands already alienated. 



