COTTON 307 



the northern islands it is sometimes as late as August or 

 September before seed can be sown. In St. Kitts, where 

 cotton is grown as a catch-crop on cane lands, the seed 

 is sown in April, or as soon as possible after this date. 

 June is the favoured month in St. Vincent, but sowings 

 are made from May to the beginning of August. 



A prominent member of the Fine Cotton Spinners' 

 Association remarked, when on a visit to St. Vincent, 

 " that the grower of fine Sea Island cotton led a dog's 

 life " : and this truthfully describes the cotton grower's 

 lot from the time he sows the seed until the cotton is 

 picked, for spells of dry weather in the growing season 

 may prevent and arrest the germination of the seed, 

 cause excessive shedding of bolls, and wet periods may 

 also cause shedding; the spread of destructive bacterial 

 and fungoid diseases of leaf and boll make weeding im- 

 practicable. Insect pests and other troubles may appear 

 suddenly and cause extensive damage; in fact, the planter 

 can never be sure of his crop until he has it under lock 

 and key. 



By October the bolls commence to open, and picking 

 is started and continued until February or March. In 

 those islands where the crop is cultivated as an annual 

 one most of the cotton is picked between October and 

 the end of February, and is obtained in average seasons 

 chiefly from the secondary branches. This cotton is 

 known as first pickings. Later or second pickings, as 

 they are called, are obtained from the basal laterals and 

 tertiary branches. The quality of this cotton, however, 

 is not quite as good, as a rule, as that obtained from the 

 first pickings; still, in selecting plants for seed particular 

 attention is given to plants showing this special branching 

 habit, because in unfavourable seasons it often happens 

 that the planter has to rely on his second pickings to avoid 

 a monetary loss on his crop. 



The average yield of lint per acre in St. Vincent for the 

 past eight years was 136 Ib. The highest average yield 

 in any one season was 175 Ib., and the lowest 96 Ib. In 

 other islands also there have been similar variations 

 according to season. For the 1912-13 crop the following 

 yields were reported: 



