COTTON 309 



is largely influenced by the weather experienced during 

 the ripening season; if dry the percentage is low, if wet 

 it is high. A certain amount of stained cotton may also 

 result from the attacks on the bolls by cotton stainers 

 (Dysdercus sp.). 



The grading is done on flat 'basket trays, or benches, the 

 seed-cotton being carefully handled throughout to avoid 

 injury to the lint. 



The efficient ginning of West Indian Sea Island cotton 

 is due primarily to a special visit to the islands in 1904 

 of an expert ginner from the Sea Islands, at the instance 

 of Sir Daniel Morris, to instruct local ginnery officers in 

 the best methods of ginning and baling, and the central- 

 ization of most of the work in large ginneries under skilled 

 control. A great deal depends on good ginning, and 

 unless the Macarthy gin is kept in perfect working order 

 the fine and long lint is very liable to be cut or otherwise 

 damaged and its value lowered considerably. At the 

 same time unless the seed-cotton is carefully dried and 

 prepared beforehand the work cannot be satisfactorily 

 performed. 



The ordinary West Indian Sea Island seed-cotton of the 

 " Rivers " type yields about 26 per cent, of lint, and the 

 extra fine type 22 per cent. In the former case, therefore, 

 1,538 Ib. of seed-cotton have to be ginned to obtain a bale 

 of 400 Ib. net, and in the latter 1,818 Ib. 



There is a considerable amount of variation in the 

 shape, weight, and size of the bales made in different 

 places. In St. Vincent the lint is all pressed by means of 

 a simple plunger press, worked by hand, in long cylin- 

 drical packages 7 by 2.\ ft., each containing 360 Ib. net. 

 The question has often been asked why this practice 

 is continued when much closer compression could be 

 obtained by using hydraulic or steam presses, and freight 

 saved? The answer to this is that buyers consider the 

 package as best suited to the fine local staple, and advise 

 growers to continue to use it. In other islands square or 

 oblong bales are made weighing anything from 200 to 

 500 Ib. according to the style of press used. 



The purchase of seed-cotton from small growers is 

 an important feature of the work of the Government 



