October i, igro.J 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD. 



17 



Points on the Cotton Situation. 



THE irtflTED STATES AS A COTTON COTTNTRY. 



IT is an interesting fact that, whereas the use of cotton ante- 

 dates history, and so much cotton had been produced else- 

 where before the settlement of America, the growtli of this 

 product has latterly become more important in the United States 

 than in any other country, or in the rest of the world liesides. 

 In view of the high price of raw cotton, which shows no indica- 

 tion of early decline, the increased production of this commodity 

 abroad would be welcomed by the manufacturers of the United 

 States, as tending to reduce the cost of the material required 

 by domestic spinners. 



This journal from time to time has recorded the efforts in 

 various other countries to promote the growth of cotton, and 

 while a certain amount of encouragement has been evident, the 

 United Slates continues in the lead in the growth of cotton. In 

 a Bulletin of the United States census bureau at Washington 

 appear some diagrams illustrating the mass of figures in the 

 shape of cotton statistics, which are presented here as showing 

 at a glance the importance of this country as a source of the 

 world's cotton supply. It is not enough that portions of Africa 



The World's Production of Cotton. 



[Proportion of the world's mill supply cuntvibuted bv each countrv. growth 



of 1908.] 



should be admirably adapted to the growth of cotton; there 

 is lacking a supply of labor. Nor does it suffice that India is 

 so fully populated;, there is lacking there an intelligent class of 

 labor, and, what is more important, intelligent supervision, and 

 systemization of labor organization and 'the marketing of the 

 product. 



It is plain, therefore, that whatever may be the ultimate re- 

 sult of efltorts to cultivate cotton in other parts of the world, 

 the United States must for a long time continue to be the chief 

 source of cotton, and that no other country can be looked to to 

 contribute enough t'', the world's supply to relieve the pressure 

 upon the American supply, and reduce materially currrnt prices 

 of this important textile. 



COTTON IN THE BRITISH COLONIES. 



The British Cottiin Grnwing Association, organized several 



years ago for the purpose of promoting the culture of cotton 

 throughout the Bristish Empire, was planned to operate with a 

 capitalization of £500,000 [=$2,433250]. At last accounts the 

 amount subscribed had reached £460,000. The association has 

 been active from the beginning in promoting the growth of 

 cotton, particularly in West Africa, where encouraging results 

 have baen obtained. They have been stimulated to activity by 

 the high cost of cotton generally, which has entailed hardships 

 upon the industry in Lancashire and unsettled British industrial 

 conditions. 



SUPPLY OF SEA ISLAND COTTON. 



The Sea Island cotton crop for the year ended September i is 

 reported by ]\lessrs. John Malloch & Co., of Savannah, Georgia, 

 as somewhat smaller than in the preceding year, though in excess 

 of the recent average. They estimate: For Georgia, 53,124 bales; 

 Florida, 28,711 bales; South Carolina, 14,821; total, 96,656 bales. 

 Estimating 1,800 bales to have been carried over, would make the 

 crop actually grown in ipogio, 94.856 bales. Comparison for 

 six years : 



The World's Consumption of Cotton. 



[Proportion of the supply for 1909 consumed in the United States and 

 in other countries. J 



1904-05 bales 102,191 



1905-06 123,789 



1906-07 58,932 



1907-08 bales 85,024 



1908-09 101,420 



1909-10 96,656 



The shipments for six years has been : 



ji^' Domestic 



Mills. 



1904-05 bales 63,430 



1905-06 90,909 



1906-07 40,006 



1907-08 52,825 



1908-09 79.446 



1909-10 71.783 



From the best information available it appears that the coming 

 crop should be about the same as last season, or, with good 

 weather, a little larger. Prices continue high, but the opinion is 

 expressed that if the mills will remain out of the market for a 

 while, the people in the interior will be willing to send in their 

 cotton at lower than the present rates. 



