ToL. V. No. 118. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



.343 



COST OF GROWING COTTON IN 

 ST. KITT'S. 



A series of experiments was carried on t with cotton 

 at the La Guerite Experiment Station, St. Kitt's, 

 during the year 190.5-6. This series included trials of 

 the effect of manures and of different varieties: efforts 

 were also made to ascertain the best seaison for planting 

 cotton and the most satisfactory distajice at which it 

 should be planted. These experiments covered an area 

 ■ of 5 acres. * 



In the Annual Report on the Botanic Station and 

 Economic Experiments, for 1905-6, Mr.;F. R. Shepherd 

 gives the actual cost of growing cotton in these experi- 

 ments as follows: — 



and at 1 6s. per acre 



,, Is. 1(7. „ 



,, Is. 6(/. „ 

 , Gd. 



, l.JS. 



Cost of banking 



„ „ seed 



„ „ planting 



„ „ .supplying 



„ „ weeding 



,, ,, sulphur 



„ „ Paris green ... 



,, ,, lime 



„ ,, applying insecticides 



Total cost to time of picking ... 



,, ,, picking and cleaning .5,002 ft. 



cotton at Ic. per lb. ... 

 „ ,, ginning 1,.'3.52 ft. lint at 2|c. 

 ,, ,, shipping 1,3-52 ft. lint at r5c. 

 ,, ,, 48 bags for stowing cotton at 16c. 

 „ ,, manures for experiment 



Total cost on 5 acres ... 



Proceeds. — 



807 ft. lint at 16 d. per ft. ... ;.. 



213 „ „ 16U „ „ 



176 ,, „ 1.5k/. „ „ ... 



156 „ „ IS d. „ „ ... 



1,342 ft. „ 



3,650 „ cotton seed at Ic. per ft. 



Total proceeds from 5 acres ... 

 Less expenses as above 



Net profit ... 



£. 



4 



s. 

 

 5 



7 

 2 



5 

 4 

 1 

 5 

 17 



d. 

 

 5 

 6 

 6 

 

 

 

 6 



10 



£99 1 3 

 37 14 6 



£61 6 9 



STRUCTURE OF THE COTTON FIBRE. 



In an interesting paper by Mr. W. L. Balls, B.A., 

 on the ' Sexuality of Cotton,' published in the Yearbook 

 of the Khedivial Agricultural Society, Cairo, the 

 following reference is made to the structure of the 

 cotton fibre : — 



The first point of interest is that the fibre begins to 

 develop before fertilization is accomplished, but whether 

 entirely independently of pollination or no, has not been 

 definitely cleared up. The development of the fibre is not 

 from sub-epidermal cells of the outer integument, as is usually 

 stated, but by simple linear extension of the epidermal cells 

 at a normal to the surface of the integument, the cotton fibre 

 being thus a simple epidermal hair. 



Moreover, the cells which develop into the fibres are 

 entirely similar to all the others. It seems possible that the 

 actual percentage of epidermal cells which give rise to hairs 

 may be determined by external conditions and food supply as 

 in the case of root-hair.s, and that the work done on root- 

 hairs, and hairs in general, may be applied to some problems 

 of cotton formation, remembering, however, that the environ- 

 mental conditions are far more uniform inside a cotton boll 

 than in the soil or the air. 



An ei)iderraal cell of the outer integument has a very 

 thick basal wall, thinner outer side walls, a thin cuticle 

 covering the outer and dipping .slightly between the side walls, 

 with a nucleus which is about one-fifth of the length of the 

 cell, and small vacuoles in the cytoplasm. 



An examination into the behaviour of the nucleus, its 

 disintegration, the mode and time of thickening of the cell 

 wall and the other minor problems connected with the 

 development of an individual fibre, is not suflSciently advanced 

 to warrant publication. Enough has been said to show the 

 inaccuracy of accepted statements wherever they have been 

 tested, as far, at least, as the Egyptian cotton is concerned, 

 and the necessity for further examination. 



AGRICULTURE IN JAMAICA. 



The Collector-General in Jamaica discusses, in his 

 report for the year 1905-6, the returns as to the area 

 devoted to agricultural -purposes as follows, comparing 

 acreages in 1905-6 with the average acreages for four 

 years : — 



There is an improvement in cane cultivation of 980 

 acres ; in coffee of 542 acres ; in bananas of 23,112 acres ; in 

 cacao of 1,600 acres; in ground provisions of 2,379 acres; 

 and in minor items of 863 acres. The only item showing 

 a falling off is the area in cocoa-nuts, where the drop is 1,328 

 acres. The increase in banana and cacao cultivation denotes 

 very considerable agricultural activity in these products, and 

 a complete recovery from the effects of the hurricane of 1903, 

 the influence of which is still noticeable in tlie case of 

 cocoa-nuts. Coffee, on account of better prospects, and 

 canes, owing to the more equitable conditions governing the 

 world's markets, help to swell the total increase in area 

 of tilled lands of 28,477 acres. 



The area in minor products is in turn classified under 

 eleven separate sub-heads, the principal of which are : oranges 

 609 acres, showing an increase of 401 over a four years' 

 average ; cotton 480 acres, being an increase of 472 acres ; rice 

 165 acres, an increase of 42 acres; and ginger 259 acres, an 

 increase of 9 acres. Corn exhibits a trifling decrease of 

 9 acres, and tobacco 74 acres. Rubber makes its appearance 

 for the first time, and registers 5 acres. If taxpayers in 

 making ingivings are careful in noting different classes of 

 cultivation, these- compilations will become more interesting, 

 useful, and reliable from year to year. Accuracy rests with 

 the units of property owners, for, as I have explained, the 

 Department can do little more than tabulate and present the 

 information given. 



The increased acreage in grass lands shows that, although 

 there has been great activity in agriculture in the more 

 limited sense of the term, the pastoral industry has not been 

 neglected, and if the demand for cattle in the neighbouring 

 republic of Cuba, which manifested itself during the year, is 

 steadily developed on sound principles, continued increase 

 may be looked for from year to year. A decrease in the area 

 in wood and ruinate follows naturally on the increase iu 

 cultural and pastoral lands. 



