3 2 7 



A third Ordinance which has an important bearing on the 

 industry is that providing for the destruction of all cotton 

 plants at the end of each season in order to prevent the carry- 

 ing over from one season to another of certain pests and 

 diseases. As the provisions of this measure cover all kinds 

 of cotton whether wild or cultivated, it has been possible to 

 destroy all the perennial wild or semi-wild types and so reduce 

 to a minimum the danger of cross fertilization of the valuable 

 Sea Island variety with undesirable kinds. 



The methods of cultivation, yields per acre, details of 

 picking, bulking, drying, ginning, and baling are fully des- 

 cribed in the paper, together with the chief characteristics of 

 the lint and the uses to which it is put. 



The prices obtained for St. Vincent Sea Island white cotton 

 during the past three seasons have ranged from 2s. to 2s. gd. 

 per Ib. for the " superfine " and from is. 6d. to is. nd. for the 

 " ordinary." 



The industry is a remunerative one in an average of years. 



THE COTTON INDUSTRY OF THE LEEWARD ISLANDS 



COLONY. 



By H. A. TEMPANY, B.Sc., F.I.C., F.C.S., 

 Superintendent of Agriculture, Leeward Islands. 



[ABSTRACT.] 



In this paper the history of the development of the industry 

 of the cultivation of Sea Island cotton in the Leeward Islands 

 Colony of the British West Indies is traced. 



An account is given of the conditions under which the staple 

 is produced in the different Presidencies of the Colony. 



The methods adopted to foster the growth of the industry 

 are described, and the manner in which development has 

 occurred is illustrated by statistics giving the detailed exports 

 for each year since the inception of the industry. 



The cultural methods in vogue are dealt with and also the 

 means adopted to secure the maintenance and improvement 

 of the staple by means of plant selection; this side of the work 

 has for a number of years past constituted a very important 

 branch of the activities of the Agricultural Department. 



The principal insect and fungoid diseases to which the crop 

 is liable are enumerated and the means adopted for their 

 control indicated. 



In the concluding sections of the paper the conditions under 

 which the industry is carried on in each of the islands in which 

 Sea Island cotton is grown are summarized in some detail, 



