July 1, 1915. 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



577 



THE MARKET FOR COTTON AND OTHER FABRICS. 



■""Pill cotton crop outlook for the United States is very encour- 

 * aging, with the new planting well started. The decrease in 

 a< reage is estimated at 10 to 12 per cent, from the record acreage 

 of last season. I he ' iovernment's crop report is due July 1 and 

 covers crop conditions to June 25. With the 10 pei cent decn 

 in acreage, should the figures show an average crop of 82 per cent., 

 tin' report would be acceptable even to the most conservative. 



SE \ ISI. \M> ' OT I' IN. 



Figures on the Sea Island crop movement from August 1. 1914, 

 to May 25. 1915, show receipts at Southern shipping ports oi 

 69.293 hales, against 92.0S9 bales for the same period in 1913-1914. 

 Savannah and Jacksonville shipments were 65,813 hales in 1914- 

 1915, against 86.998 hairs for 1913-1914. Figures on direct ship- 

 ments to the mills not being available, it is estimated that 13,500 

 hales have l«in moved in these directions. The entire crop is 

 now out of the hands of the planters, with the possible exception 

 of one or two thousand bales. 



There has been an estimated increase in the acreage of be- 

 tween 20 and 30 per cent, and the new crop is in a favorable 

 condition. Prices are nominal. Savannah quotations on June 

 25 were as follows: Choice, 24(n 25 cents; extra choice-. 25@26 

 cents: fancy, 25@26 cents. 



EGYPTIAN COTTON. 



Germany was formerly a heavy consumer of Egyptian cotton, 

 hut this outlet being closed by the war, over-production and low 

 prices were imminent. The situation was met by curtailing the 

 acreage and prohibiting exports to the continent. Concerning 

 the new crop, the young plants are in good condition, and while 

 no official figures are available at this time, it is estimated that 

 there are 900,000 to 1.100,000 feddans (a feddan equals about 

 I 1/10 acres) under cultivation. It is reported that the acreage 

 of Sakelarides planted has been increased considerably. 



The United States government regulations, coming in force on 

 January 1, 1916, requiring the disinfection of Egyptian cotton, 

 are highly important. Cotton shipped during or before Novem- 

 ber should arrive in New York or Boston before these regula- 

 tions become effective. The Alexandria General Produce Asso- 

 ciation has expressed its views to the United States Government 

 to the effect that the disinfection of the cotton would be out of 

 the question, owing to lack of facilities. 



The following are Boston quotations on June 15, 1915 : Egyp- 

 tian— Nubari, $16.00@$18.75 ; Affifi, $12.25@$18.50; Sakelarides, 

 $18.25o7$23.25. 



COTTON FABRICS. 



The Fabric market has been active during June and prices have 

 advanced with the price of cotton. Pressure for deliveries on 

 contracts placed last fall indicate improved conditions in the 

 rubber u Is trade. 



There was an increased demand for all kinds of duck during 

 the past month, wide drills and enameling ducks being par- 

 ticularly active, a- the auto, top manufacturers, who formerly 

 used foreign materials, are now buying domestic goods. De- 

 liveries on hose and belting ducks have been consistently called 

 for this month and the outlook is favorable for increasing busi- 

 ness. There lias been considerable buying for export account. 

 The foreign rubber mills are now dependent on American fabrics, 

 as the foreign cotton mills are running on government order 

 exclusively. 



The following are New York quotations "ii tunc 26. 1915: 

 Tire Fabrics: 



nnce Sea Island, combed sq. yd. $ .58@$ .60 



r . iunce Egyptian, combed .45(3 .47 



I 7 ' i mince Egyptian, carded .42(<? .44 



17 [-ounce Peelers, carded 35@ .37 



Sheetings : 



40-inch 2.50-yd yd. MH 



40-inch 2.70 " .06J4 



40-inch 2.85 " 06 !4 



40-inch 3.15 " 0614 



40-inch 2.25-yd yd. .07J4 



i " :. . .07 



37J4-in 2.42" 07 



Wi chanical I lucks: 



Hose link //,. .20J-2 



"1. 19J/J 



Can iage Cloth I lui I 



38-incl enameling duck yd. ,\oy a 



nch I 71 yd. " " .\\'/ 2 



6.66-yd. " " >5 



72-inch 7. 21 -yd. " " ...'..'.'.'. .'26 



Drills: 



ch 2.00-yd. drill y j. jo^ 



40-inch 2.47-yd. " us ! ', 



52-inch 1 90 yd. " ...;. jn.>| 



52-inch 1.95yd. " I0'/» 



1. 1.52yd. " ;.;;; ; u £ 



Y.n ns: 



Garden Hi .' cabled lb. .20 



Hose 12/1 16@.I8 



New York exports of cotton duck to Europe during Maj 

 were as follows: To London, 3,088 packages, valued at $122,386; 

 to Liverpool, 17 packages, value at $10,239, and 075 bales oi mi 

 ton yarn valued at $270,000; to Glasgow, 1.751 packages of duck, 

 valued at $57,391. France look 339 packages and bales valued 

 at $22.2(13. Fifty-one bales of tire fabrics were shipped to Mar- 

 seilles, valued at $3,247, Copenhagen received 132 packages of 

 cluck, valued at $6,345. 



COTTON IN BRITISH COLONIES. 



/""( ) I "I < ).\" growing in liritish Uganda continues to make prog- 

 ^ ress. In 1914, ginned cotton exports from this colon} 

 amounted in value to £45,231. The Uganda cotton industry 

 would become much more important were it not for the dif- 

 ficulties of transportation. The whole of the main crop for 1914 

 was of the Allen's Long Staple variety. Cotton growing in the 

 British Last Africa Protectorate is not profitable, except along 

 the banks of the Tana and Juha rivers where irrigation is pos- 

 sible. In the Lake District of the Xyanza Province the climate 

 and soil are quite favorable to cotton growing and a will doubt- 

 less become quite an important industry. 



In Nyasaland the area under cotton cultivation by European 

 planters amounted in 1914 to 25,097 acres, of which 160 acres 

 were planted in Egyptian cotton and the remainder in the Nyasa- 

 land LIpland variety. The total exports for 1914 amounted to 

 6,003 bales of 400 pounds, as compared with 8.093 bales exported 

 during the previous year, this decrease being due to the failure 

 of the crop in some districts. During the same year native 

 plantations produced 1,811 bales of 400 pounds as against 1,126 

 bales in 1912-13. 



Jamaica's 1914 cotton crop was a failure, owing to abnormal 

 climatic conditions. In 1913 the crop was valued at £4.000 and 

 consisted of the Sea Island variety, being grown mostly by small 

 planters in Ycre. Following the failure of the 1914 crop Jamaica 

 planters are seeking for a more hardy variety of cotton for gen- 

 eral cultivation in the island \ perennial tree cotton has been 

 introduced from Cauto in Cuba and has given good results. In 

 the drier districts of the island this Canto cotton is expected to 

 become the basis of a reliable cotton growing industry Experi- 

 ments have aUo been made with the Sakelarides and other 



Egyptian varieties oi cotton. The Caul tton tree grows wild 



in southeastern Cuba. 



In Fiji cotton growing was started in 1906, when the Lautoka 

 Experimental Station planted seed of two kinds of Sea Island. 

 one of which had been obtained from Barbados, the other from 

 St. Kitts. Good results have been obtained, the yield of lint rang- 

 ing from 252 to 311 pounds per acre. The cotton produced in 

 Fiji is all medium staple, and therefore more readily salable than 

 cottons of the finer staples, though having larger yields. 



