406 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



December 29, 190ff. 



EXPORTS OF WEST INDIAN COTTON. 



The following is a statement (furnished by the 

 Customs Department in each case) showing the amount 

 and estimated value of Sea Island cotton exported from 

 the various West India Islands during the quarter 

 ended September 30, 1906- — 



* 1 Base. 



m 



The returns for the previous quarter were published 

 the Agricultural News (Vol. V, p. 214). 



SEA ISLAND COTTON MARKET. 



The ' Sea Island Cotton Report ' of Messrs. Henry 

 W. Frost & Co., of Charleston and Savannah, dated 

 December 1, 1906, has the following reference to 

 Islands cotton : — 



We have had again this week an active and advancing 

 market for the limited offerings of odd bags, and as the 

 supply fails to satisfy the demand, the factors readily 

 obtained a further advance of Ic, and have not only sold, 

 but have contracted ahead in a limited way for all the receipts 

 on a basis of fine at .31c. ; fully fine at 33c. ; extra fine at 

 3.5c. to 36c. 



At the close of the market the factors refu.^^ed to contract 

 further ahead for future receipts on a basis of Ic. advance, 

 preferring to delay selling until they accumulated some stock; 

 consequently, to-day there is absolutely no stock for sale, 

 except planters' crop lots. 



COTTON SEED SELECTION. 



Arrangements have been made to extend the seed 

 selection experiments in Barbados this year. Twelve 

 estates have been chosen for this work, every cotton- 

 growing district in the island being represented. It is 

 expected, as a result of this distribution, that plants 

 will be produced acclimatized to all the conditions 

 found in the island. 



The selection is being carried out on similar lines to last 

 year's work, the best plants being first selected in the field, 

 and afterwards the seed will be obtained from those which 

 have produced the finest lint. The selection of plants in the 

 field has already been commenced. 



On those estates where seed selection was carried on 

 last year, the plants will this year be selected from the 

 nurseries in which last year's selected seed was sown. 



In St. Vincent, seed selection experiments have also 

 been commenced this year. Plants have been selected on 

 a number of estates which are fairly representative of the 

 general conditions of the island. 



It is interesting to note, in connexion with this work, 

 that the subject of cotton seed selection has been seriously 

 taken up in Egypt. Mr. G. P. Foaden, B.Sc, has written 

 an interesting article in the Yearbook of the Khedivial 

 Agricultural .Society, just issued, in which he encourages 

 a system of seed selection in that country, based on the 

 method adopted in America. This is the system that is 

 being carried out by the Imperial Department of Agriculture 

 in the V^est Indies. 



COTTON PROSPECTS AT ST. KITT'S. 



ilr. F. 11. Shepherd, Agricultural Superintendent 

 at St. Kitt's, has forwarded the following brief report 

 on the prospects of the cotton industry in that island- — 



The early jilan ted. cotton is now fast ripening up, and 

 picking, with largo gangs, is being pushed on everywhere. 

 Owing to the excessive rain and abnormally high winds that 

 have prevailed, some of the young bolls have been destroyed, 

 but, on the whole, the prospects of a good return are very 

 encouraging. The ginneries are all at work, and some 

 28bales, amounting to 10,0001b. of lint, have been shipped from 

 this seasons's cotton, and further shipments are going on. 



At Spooners ginnery, an additional gin, a single-action 

 Asa Lee.s, has been erected, and this ginnery is now able to 

 turn out between 2.5 and 30 bales, of 400 lb. each, per week 



The ginnery at Stone Fort, worked by an aermotor, is 

 also in operation and steps are being taken to increase its 

 power by the addition of an oil engine. A small ginnery, 

 consisting of a small oil engine, one single-action A.=a Lees 

 gin, and hand-baling press, has recently been erected in 

 Bas.^eterre by Mrs. Pistana and is working satisfactorily. 



