230 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



July 28, 1906 



WEST INDIAN SEA ISLAND COTTON. 



The following inforiuatioii, reliitive to sales of West 

 Indian cotton, is extracted from a letter, dated June 2G 

 last, addressed by Messrs. Wolstenholrae & Holland, of 

 Liverpool, to the Imperial Commissioner of Agri- 

 culture : — 



Since out last report the business in West Indian Sea 

 Island cotton has been limited to a few retail sales, which 

 comprise: Montserrat, at \5d.; St. Vincent, Sil. to liirf. — 

 the former, stained cotton ; Barbados, lid. to 1.5k?.; Antigua, 

 I5d. to ISid, and a small lot at IScZ.; Anguilla, lild.; and 

 Nevis, 14dto UJ-rf. 



There is an inquiry for a limited quantity of extra-fine 

 stapled cotton, which, if here, woulil sell at \M. to 20(?.; but 

 apart from this there is practically no demand over 15(?. 

 Spinners, having large stocks, are disinclined to increase same 

 over \bd. 



Considering that a large quantity of the American Sea 

 Island was sold this season at I'ihd. to li^d., we think 

 that prices realized for West Indian have been extremely 

 satisfactory. 



MANURING OF COTTON. 



The kind of manure which is given to any crop is 

 determined by the character of the product desired. 

 When vegetative growth is most important, and where 

 it is desirable that this growth should extend over 

 a long period, pen manure and sheep manure are found 

 to be very useful. 



In a crop such as cotton the vegetative growth is only 

 a secondary matter, and it is desirable that this growth 

 .should take place as early as possible ; in fact, when the 

 plants are about three and a half months old, vegetative 

 growth should cease, and the plants should commence to 

 mature. 



A dressing of pen manure, such as is given to canes, will 

 give similar results with cotton, namely, large vegetative 

 growth ; this, however, is not desirable. 



The manure which has previously been recommended in 

 the Agricultural N'eirs (Vol. V, p. 116), consists of 300 Ix 

 superphosphate of lime, 40 B). suljihate of potash, and 100 Hb. 

 sulphate of ammonia, or 1 25 ft. nitrate of soda. The cost is 

 about S7-00 per acre. 



The sulphate of ammonia and nitrate of soda encourage 

 the plant to produce a good vegetative growth ; the sulphate 

 of potash is said to increase the (puility of the lint, and the 

 superphosphate hastens maturity. 



In Egypt it is found that an api)lication of superphos- 

 phate of lime is most useful when applied to land which has 

 been heavily manured with pen manure, checking excessive 



vegetative growth, and encouraging the formation of flowers. 

 On land from which first-croj) canes have been reaped, 

 a manure such as the above will be found most useful ; where 

 ratoon canes have been taken from the field, such a manure 

 ought to be applied without hesitation. 



COTTON IN ST. VINCENT. 



Mr. W. X. Sands, the Agricultural Sujierintendent 

 at St. Vincent, has forwarded the following notes on 

 the cotton industry : — 



Good planting weather has been experienced since the 

 season opened at the beginning of June, and those planters 

 who used seed of good germination have now got their cul- 

 tivations established and the plants growing well. Those 

 also who used seed of low germination have, by sowing the 

 seed thickly, and supplying at frequent intervals, obtained, 

 in most cases, a good stand of young plants. Notwithstand- 

 ing the set-back experienced owing to the luisatisfactory 

 germination of seed from certain estates, planters have 

 energetically met the situation, and the area planted, or in 

 preparation for [ilanting, quite comes up to expectations. 



The rainfall has been heavy during the past few weeks. 

 At the Botanic Station 1G"SS inches of rain were recorded 

 last month, and rainy weather still continues, so much so 

 that a few days of bright sunshine are badly needed to 

 strengthen the plants and to prevent the early appearance 

 of fungoid diseases. 



AGRICULTURE IN DOMINICA. 



The Dominica Guardian has the following note 

 on agricultural operations in that island : — 



The weather continues delightful for planting operations, 

 and from all sides new cultivations may be seen creeping up. 

 Where it is not limes it is cacao that is being i>ut in 

 Within the past three weeks alone over 20,000 lime 

 plants have left the Botanic Station for different directions ; 

 Hampstead alone took 1,000 on Saturday last. The Curator 

 is now jireparing some 50,000 plants for delivery between 

 this and August, there being very few on hand for present 

 distribution ; but even this large number, it is feared, will 

 be inadequate for this year's demand from the planters. 

 Cacao plants are also leaving the station in large quantities, 

 as well as budded oranges, grafted mangos, and other 

 economic plants. It is also gratifying to observe the state of 

 the bearing cacao trees, which give promise of as fine a cacao 

 crop as has ever been reaped. The crop will be early this 

 year. If weather conditions continue favoiuable, if we are 

 .sjiared hurricanes, etc., and if prices should not fail, there is 

 every hope of 1900 being a prosperous year to planters and 

 the country' in general. 



