118 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS, 



April U, 1906. 



I. f ;,■■■» aunrr-f 



SELECTION OF SEED FOR PLANTING. 



Mr. Tlionias Thornton, A.R.C.S., the Travelling 

 Inspector in connexion with the Cotton Industry, 

 furnishes the following interesting information with 

 regard to the selection of cotton seed for planting 

 during 190G:— 



In the Agricultural Xeics, Vol. V, p. 71, it was recom- 

 mended that the cotton seed to be used for i>lanting 

 purposes next season should be well-develoix'd seed with 

 a tuft of green fuzz attached, and not the perfectly clean 

 seed with a sharp spine. 



The wisdom of this recommendation will be seen when 

 it is realized that, on examining the seed-cotton from plants 

 producing the clean black seed with a spine, it was found to 

 yield but 23 per cent, of lint. The proportion of weak fibre 

 also was as high as 42 per cent, of the lint, which is at 

 least 28 per cent, more than is present in the seed which 

 has been recommended for planting by the Impeiial Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture. 



Dr. Watts has shown (Agricidturnl Nei"s, Vol. IV, 

 p. 106) that when the clean black seeds were planted, they 

 produced 33 per cent, seeds with like character : that is to 

 say, about one third of the plants produced froin these seeds 

 came true to what may be regarded as the inferior black 

 sort. 



THE COTTON INDUSTRY. 



The following notes on the cotton industry are 

 taken from the Textile Mercury for March 17 last: — 



A deputation from the British Cotton-growing Associa- 

 tion, including Sir Alfred L. Jones, President ; Mr. Arthur 

 Hutton, Chairman ; Sir Ralph !Moor, Mr. 3. E. Xewton, 

 Mr. J. C. Howarth, and Mr. Oliver, was received at the 

 Colonial Office by ^Ir. Winston Churchill, il.P., who 

 evinced the keenest interest in the movement, and e.xpressed 

 himself as being de.sirous to do all he possibly could to 

 further the aims of the Association in all parts of the 

 Empire. 



The West Indies are making considerable strides in 

 cotton cultivation, and the island planters are now said to be 

 producing absolutely the finest cotton ever grown. The 

 present crop will represent a value of £100,000 sterling. 

 Some of it was sold on the Liverpool market last week for 

 Is. 8c?. per B)., or fi</. per Iti. more than the American Sea 

 Island variety. Sir .\lfred Jones has just received a letter 

 from Sir Daniel Morris, K.C.M.G., D.Sc, Iniiierial Commis- 

 sioner of Agriculture for the West Indies, stating that the 

 area under cotton will be largely increased next year, and 

 instancing one planter with 100 acres who has decided 

 to plant 400 acres immediately. Referring specially to the 



Northern Islands of the group, the Imiierial Commissioner 

 says that, desiiite the recent drought, there will be a good lot 

 of cotton shipiied. He also reports that some of the new 

 Barbados cotton has obtained IfitZ. to ]8(/. per Iti., while 

 St. A"incent cotton has sold for ISJ. to 20(/. per lb. 



The Association has adopted a novel method of 

 stimulating public interest in the movement. From this 

 AVest Indian cotton, handkerchiefs are being manufactured, 

 which for fineness and softness of texture compare well with 

 silk goods. Sir Alfred Jones has given an order for 2,000 of 

 these handkerchiefs, which he proposes to distribute as gifts 

 among the cotton operatives of Lancashire, believing that, in 

 this fashion, a greater personal interest will be aroused in the 

 scheme for producing British-grown cotton for British mills. 



COTTON. 



dated March 16, 



SEA ISLAND 



The following is a letter dated March 16, from 

 Messrs. Wolstenholuie & Holland to the Imperial 

 Commissioner of Agriculture : — 



Sea Island descriptions have been in good request 

 during the past fortnight, and a fair business has been done 

 at full prices. 



Owing to the excellent preparation of West Indian Sea 

 Island this season, buyers have taken all offerings, and 

 Barbados cotton has realized from 16(7. to ISc?. ; St. Vincent 

 ISrf. to 20cZ. ; St. Kitt's 14Arf. to \M. ; Antigua Ibhd. to 

 19d ; Nevis \M. ; and Montserrat \bld. For the" very 

 finest sorts, there is only a limited demand for fine lace 

 purposes. 



Latest reports from Charleston state that late sales 

 almost exliausted the stock there, and only a limited supjjly 

 is now on hand ; but it must be borne in mind that spinners 

 have bought sufficient Sea Island cotton at lower prices to 

 carry them into next season. 



.According to the Cotton Tnuh Journal of March 3 last, 

 the Sea Island cotton market, for the week ending March 2, 

 closed steady, with a good demand for extra choice and 

 below. The report from Valdosta states that the weather for 

 the past two weeks has been more or less favourable to the 

 farming interest. The farmers, however, are about two 

 weeks behind in their preparation for the new crop. There 

 v'ill he no increase in acreage. On the contrary, it is 

 anticipated that the acreage hitherto devoted to Sea Island 

 cotton will be considerabl}' reduced. 



From New York there comes some mention of the 

 desirability of better staples. A merchant, with exjierience 

 both in Sea Island and in Egyptian cotton, is reported 

 to have stated that the requirements are for the good 

 grades, and that, while there may be no immediate demand 

 for them, they are scarce enough to have sure value before 

 long. 



