•260 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



August 25, 1906. 



WEST INDIAN COTTON. 



Messrs. Wolstenholme & Holland, of Liverpool, 

 Lave forwarded the following reporb, dated July 26, on 

 the trade in West Indian cotton in Liverpool : — 



We have to report a fair business in West Indian Sea 

 Lsland descriptions during the past fortnight, and prices are 

 decidedly easier. 



The demand has been almost entirely for qualities 13^!/. 

 to Ibd., and spinners will not buy unless the cpiality is 

 desirable, and easy prices are accepted. 



The sales include Barbados, lihd. to lohd.; St. Kitt'.s, 

 \5J. to \5-y.; Antigua, 15i(?. to IQd.; St. Thomas, lid. to 

 lod.; and Nevis, lUd. to UV- 



Writing later (August I), Messrs. Wolstenholme 

 & Holland report as follows : — 



Since our last report the market has been quiet for West 

 Indian Sea Island descriptions, and prices continue in buyers' 

 favour, for the lower qualities. 



The sales include Barbados at 14'.?. to lod. and 

 •St. Thomas at 1.3 J. 



COTTON INDUSTRY AT ANTIGUA. 



The followinc,' information is contained in alett-^r 

 received by the Imperial Commissioner of Agriculture 

 from Mr. H. A. Tempany, Acting Superintendent of 

 Agriculture for the Leeward Islands, relative to the 

 cotton industry at Antigua : — ■ 



In all .508 bales have been shipped this season from 

 Antigua. 



Good prices continue to be obtained for Antigua cotton : 

 the last sales reported by the Briti.sh Cotton-growing 

 Association have given prices ranging from 13f?. to lid. 

 pier 111. for lint. 



I enclose for your information a copy of a letter, relative 

 to Antigua cotton, addressed to Dr. AVatts by Messrs. 

 Wolstenholme A: Holland : — 



Rrfriirf from letter from Messrs. Wolstenholme <£• Holland 

 to the Hon. Francis Watts, Antitjua. 



'We have been very pleased v>-ith the improvement which 

 has taken place in Antigua cotton this season. The staple is 

 much more robust, and some of the small lots, for which we 

 obtained 1 Id. and 20c?. per Ifa., are as good as St. Vincent. _ 



'We have had the pleasure of an interview with 

 Sir Daniel Morris, and suggested that he should obtain the seed 

 from these best lots. He tells us that he had anticipated 

 our idea, and had conununicated with you on the subject. 



'The American Sea Island crop is doing badly, particularly 

 in Georgia ; we therefore hope that West Indian cotton will 

 again command full prices.' 



THE LEAVES OF THE COTTON PLANT. 



During the short time the cotton plant has been 

 growing in these islands, every one has noticed how its 

 leaves have been subject to the attacks both of insect 

 and fungoid pests. 



The use of the leaves in the economy of the plant is 

 very important. A\'herever there is a tendency to injure 

 them or reduce their efficiency, no pains ought to be .spared 

 in protecting them. 



It should be remembered that none of the food material 

 taken into the plant by the roots can be of any service to the 

 plant until it has been elaborated in the leaves. The land 

 may be tilled in the most careful manner, expensive manures 

 may be applied ; but if conditions are allowed to exist, which 

 will lessen the efficiency of the leaves, much of the care and 

 expense which have been previously bestowed on the land 

 will be found to have been wasted. 



From the time the leaves are formed, they are liable to 

 be attacked by the aphis, while the cotton worm is ready to 

 devour them ; at any time the leaf-blister mite maj' check 

 their normal growth. They may also be visited bj' the fungi 

 which cause the ' rust ' and ' mildew,' and the bacteria which 

 cau.se ' angular spot.' All these pests have a tendency to 

 impair the efficiency of the leaves. 



The damage done to the leaves by the aphis is usually 

 very slight, but it sometimes causes the leaves to fall 

 prematurely. The deformed condition of the leaves, when 

 badly attacked by the leaf-blister mite, makes them practically 

 useless ; and when attacked by fungi and bacteria they 

 often fall just when they ought to be Uiost useful. 



It will be realized by every planter that, if the best 

 results are to be obtained, the plants must be kept in 

 a healthy condition. The efficiency of the leaves in preparing 

 food material must not be impaired. It is not surprising 

 that the plant throws off large quantities of bolls when the 

 conditions are such that it cannot provide a sufficient amount 

 of food to develop them properly. 



To a great extent the remedy for such an unfortunate 

 condition is in the hands of the planter. The cotton worm 

 can be destroyed by a timely application of Paris green. In 

 the ca.se of the leaf-blister mite and the fungoid pests, 

 prevention is better than cure. AVhere the leaf-blister mite is 

 prevalent, no plants ought to be allowed to stand after the 

 crop has been reaped, and diseased leaves should be picked 

 ancl burned, and the plants dusted with sulphur and lime. 



To fight against fungoid and bacterial pests, the plants 

 .should be kept healthy and strong ; they should not be 

 overcrowded. Leaves can do their work well only when they 

 are liberally supplied with light and air. Cotton should be 

 planted in straight, single rows across the field, so as to allow 

 a free cii-culation of air ■; not more than one plant should bo 

 allowed to remain to the hole. 



