306 COTTON 



increased attention is being given in view of the local 

 supplies available. 



At the commencement of the season the grower often 

 finds it difficult to decide which class of cotton he shall 

 plant that is, whether it would pay him better to grow 

 one of the best " superfine " types or one of the 

 " ordinary" fine types. There is a very limited demand 

 for the specially fine staples, and it is understood that 

 the ready sale or otherwise of these is largely influenced 

 by the prevailing fashions in ladies' wearing apparel. It 

 is estimated that only about 500 bales of these special 

 marks are required by European spinners, and these are 

 chiefly supplied by St. Vincent and St. Kitts. West 

 Indian planters have, however, been recently advised to 

 grow the finest cotton possible and to cultivate for fine- 

 ness, so that it would appear that the demand for the 

 highest grades of West Indian cotton is increasing, but 

 it may also be due to the fact that the growers of the 

 best kinds of Sea Island in South Carolina are turning 

 their attention to staples of lower grade. The " ordinary 

 fine " will pay better to grow if the difference in price 

 between it and " superfine " does not exceed 2-Jd. per lb., 

 because it gives a smaller amount of trouble to pick and 

 handle and the ginning yield is much better. From a 

 picker's point of view alone there is a wide margin in 

 its favour, for it has larger bolls, and only from 140 to 

 160 of these have to be picked to give a pound of seed- 

 cotton, as against 180 to 200 of the best " superfine " 

 types. 



The seed is sown by hand when the land is in a moist 

 condition. With seed of tested viability three or four 

 are planted on the ridges in holes from 20 to 24 in. 

 apart according to the fertility of the land. If the seed- 

 lings are not seen after a week of good weather has 

 elapsed the holes are resown. 



As soon as the seedlings are 4 to 5 in. high they are 

 thinned out to two; a final thinning to one plant in a 

 hole is done three or four weeks later. The time of 

 planting depends almost entirely on weather conditions. 

 In most of the islands planting is started in May that is, 

 if the rains have come in by that time but in certain of 



