80 



Cultivation. 

 During the season of growth the cotton plants require constant 

 attention. The land should be keptfreefrom weeds, the plants mould- 

 ed up and close waich kept for the cotton worm and other enemies. 

 During the months of September, October an*^! November, or during 

 any period when the cotton worm is expected, the fields should be in- 

 specied daily. On the first appearance of the worm Paris green and 

 slacked lime, in the proportion of 1 to 6, sh uld be immediately applied. 

 A single day's delay in the treatment of the worm may entail consi- 

 derable loss in crop It is advised that about 3 lbs. of Paris green and 

 18 Ihs. of powdered lime should be kept ready at liand for every acre 

 planted in cotton. The other enem es of cotton are discussed in the 

 preceding pages. Paris green may be obtained in large quimtity di- 

 rect from the manufacturers at about 12 to 15c. per lb. In small quan- 

 tity it may cost, locally from 20 to 3()c. per lb. In applying Paris 

 green and slacked lime one or more bags may be attached to a bar. 

 When the plants are easily within reach, the bags need not be attached 

 to a bar at all, but held in the hand and shaken above and to wind- 

 ward of the plants. 



Picking Cotton. 

 A few essential points under this head may be mentioned : — (1) bags 

 to hang from the shoulders should be provided to enable the pickers to 

 have the free use of both 1 ands ; (2) at starting the pickers should be 

 carefully shown how to pick cotton quickly without injury to the plants 

 and free from the admixture of bits of leaves, trash, etc. ; (3) each 

 morning before theyb gin work, or after their return in the afternoon, 

 the pickers (without further pay) should go over the seed-cotton 

 gathered by them, before it is mixed in bulk, and clear it of all 

 extraneous matter. By this means they will learii to be more careful 

 in picking the cotton in the fi^ld, and so lessen expense to the planter 

 in 'assorting' it before it is sent to the factory. The cost of picking 

 Sea Island cotton should no! exceed Ic (|d.) per lb. of seed -cotton as 

 brought in from the field. In some parts of the We t Indies seed- 

 cotton is picked at the rate of to 40c. per 100 lb 



Drying and Assorting Cotton. 

 Directions under this head are given on pp. 304-5. When seed- 

 cotton has been affected by rain or disease, it should be * whipped' be- 

 fore it is assorted and dried, otherwise it will be difficult to pass it 

 successfully through the gins. (8ee pp. 304-5.) 



Ginning and Baling Cotton. 



As there are now more than a dozen ginneries in working order in 

 the West Indies, no information is necessary under this head beyond 

 that already oiven in pp. 305-9. The freight proposed to be charged 

 on cotton shipped from all parts of the West Indies to the United 

 Kingdom by the Royal Mail and other companies is at the rate of GSs. 

 per ton weight. 



Disposal of Cotton Seeds. 



It is urged that no cotton seed be exported from these Islands. It 

 should be retained for feeding stock to yield manure in order that its 

 fertilising properties may be taken back to the land. Hints under this 

 head are given on pp. 323 — 5. Where covenient the seeds may be 



