Vol. V. No. 107 



THE AGRICULTUEAL NEWS. 



165 



The time when to phiut is still a difficult pi-oblem to solve, 

 owing to thevaryingconditions existing in each locality. Speak- 

 ing generally, planting in July and August has probably given 

 the best results. Planting later than September has usually 

 proved unsatisfactory. It is desirable that great stress should 

 be laid on the fact that, wherever possible, all old cotton should 

 be taken up and burnt before the new crop is started. This 

 is the only way in v,-hich the various diseases attacking cotton, 

 including the cotton worm, mildew, and other pests, can be kept 

 under complete control. Prevention is better than cure. The 

 experience of the officers of the Department is that a greater 

 loss is incurred by allowing old cotton plants to remain on 

 the land and infect the new crop than by any other means. 

 Further, it is to be remembered that the Sea Island cotton 

 plant, as we now know it, has for more than fifty years been 

 treated as an annual. We should, therefore, continue to 

 treat it as such, especially in the tropics where there is no 

 winter to keep pests in cheek. 



As regards the prompt treatn;ent of the cotton worm, 

 the use of Paris green, when taken in time, is effectual. 

 A supply of Paris green should be secured even before the 

 seed. A new blower for applying Paris green to cotton 

 plants has recently been generally adopted in the Sea 

 Islands. This blower is described with an illustratiun on 

 p. 1.54 of the last issue of the A(/riculturnl Wems. 



Complaints have lately been received from the British 

 Cotton-growing Association in regard to cotton that has been 

 picked when not fully ripe and in a damp condition. Such 

 cotton has been reported as 'gin-cut' and full of ' nep.' 

 It is most important that cotton should only be picked 

 when fully ripe and that it be carefully sunned before it is 

 sent to the gin. 



As regards ginning and baling, the growers in Barbados 

 are provided with the means of having their cotton ginned 

 and baled at a lower cost than anywhere in the Sea Islands. 



Those who propose to take up cotton planting for the 

 first time should be strongly advised to provide adequate 

 supervision in order that the cultivation and the treatment of 

 the plants may result in good crops. In some of the other 

 islands it is proposed that one man should be placed in 

 exclusive charge of every -50 acres planted in cotton. This 

 would be a wise precaution to adopt also in Barbados. 



TREATMENT OF THE COTTON WORM. 



The attacks of the cotton worm are probably the most 

 troublesome of any to the cotton planter. The experience of 

 those who have taken a leading part in the industry is that, 

 if taken in time, the cotton worm can be effectually kept in 

 check by the use of Paris green. 



Too often the worm is not detected until considerable 

 injury has already been done, and then Paris green is applied 

 in such large quantities as seriously to diminish any profits 

 that may be reaped. 



It is suggested that a reward be offered to the watchman 

 or any other persons on the estate in order to encourage them 

 to report the first appearance of the worm. It is not 

 absolutely necessary to use lime. Possibly, with the new 

 blower, Paris green may be applied alone. Hitherto, Paris 

 green and lime have been applied in the proportion of I lb. 

 of Paris green to 6 ft), of lime. This is equivalent to 1 part 

 of Paris green to 12 parts of lime by measure. 



The indications are that Paris green will be dearer 

 during the coming season, and, on that account, every effort 

 should be made to economize its use. It is also recommended 

 to make purchases of Paris green at once in order that no 

 difficulty may be experienced in obtaining an adequate 

 supply later in the season. 



AWARDS OF GOLD MEDALS. 



Sir Alfred Jones, the President of the British Cotton- 

 growing Association has been good enough to offer gold and 

 silver medals for competition amongst the growers of cotton 

 in the West Indies. The two silver medals have already 

 been awarded in this island. 



In regard to the competition for the two gold medals, 

 arrangements have been made for these to be awarded for 

 cotton grown during this year (1906), upon the following 

 conditions : — 



(1) The cotton must be, in every case, shipped by 

 bona fide cotton growers either to the British Cotton-growing 

 Association (Manchester), or to Messrs. Wolstenholme & 

 Holland (Liverpool). 



(2) The awards will be based on crop results and not on 

 individual samples. 



(3) Competitors should furnish particulars at the end of 

 the crop as follows ; — 



(«) Area planted with cotton and no other crop. 

 (b) Actual weight of cotton shipped for crop 1906. 

 ((■) Prices obtained jier pound for all grades of cotton 

 grown in the area given under (a). 

 It is suggested that competitors should send in the 

 particulars required to Mr. J. R. Bovell, F.L.S., F.C.S., 

 Public Buildings, Bridgetown, not later than November 30,. 

 1906. 



At the adjourned meeting on Ma}' II, Mr. J. R 

 Bovell, F.L.S., F.C.S., read the following paper : — 



Sir Daniel ilorris has asked me to prepare a few notes 

 with reference to the cultivation, etc., of cotton, more for the 

 benefit of those planters who have not yet undertaken 

 cotton growing, than with the intention of trying to teach 

 those who have been growing cotton from the first. 



PREPARATION OF LAND FOR COTTON GROWING. 



With regard to the preparation of land for cotton 

 growing, it is impossible to lay down hard-and-fast rules ta 

 suit all the districts of the island and all the conditions 

 existing on estates, as the character of the soil differs so much 

 in various parts of the island. For instance, the thin soils in 

 the Black Itock districts would require less tillage than the 

 heavy lands in certain parts of St. George and St. Philip. 

 What would be ample tillage for land in the Black Piock 

 districts would not be enough for the heavy lands referred to 

 above. Land from which ratoon canes had been cut would 

 have to be differently treated from land that had grown, say, 

 sweet potatos or yams, as the digging out of the vegetables, 

 supplies, to some extent, the necessary tillage. Furthermore, 

 land under ordinary estate conditions, on which a crop has 

 not been grown for some time, but which has been kept free 

 of weeds, would not require as much tillage as, say, a field 

 from which ratoon canes had just been reaped. I know of 

 an instance this year where land has been prepared for sweet 

 potatos since last December, but, owing to the drought 

 exuerienced for the last five months, they have not been 

 planted, and the owner of the estate propo.ses to plant cotton 

 as soon as the rains come in. Now, certainly, this land would 

 not require the tillage necessary for land in which ratoon 

 canes had been grown ; in addition, the cracks in the fields 

 caused by the drought are equivalent to a certain amount of 

 tillage. What is essential is that the land should be 

 sufficiently tilled to allow the roots of the plants to penetrate 

 easily in all directions, and then hoed over to reduce it to 

 a fine tilth. 



