31O COTTON 



ginneries of St. Vincent and the Virgin Islands and the 

 privately owned ginneries of the other islands. In most 

 cases the seed-cotton is bought outright, but in others a 

 share of the profits made, if any, is returned to the small 

 grower. It may be of interest to give a brief description 

 of the St. Vincent system of purchase on profit-sharing 

 basis, because it is the largest and most successful scheme 

 of its kind in operation in the islands. 



The seed-cotton brought for sale is first of all graded 

 on the lines mentioned above, and a payment made on 

 account according to a fixed scale of prices which, during 

 the past season, was for first grade 6 cents per lb., second 

 grade 5 cents, third grade 3 cents, and fourth grade 

 2 cents. At the end of the season, aft-er the lint and seed 

 have been sold, and the purchase, ginnery, and shipping 

 charges have been deducted, a bonus equal to three- 

 quarters of the net profit made is distributed. This is 

 calculated on a percentage basis on the amount paid for 

 seed-cotton and not on the weight of seed-cotton sold. 

 Last season a bonus of 30 per cent, was paid, or 6s. for 

 every i worth of seed-cotton. As 6J cents per lb. were 

 paid on account for first grade cotton, this meant that 

 the grower received altogether about 8 cents per lb. 



From small beginnings in 1909-10 season the annual 

 purchases now amount to over half a million pounds of 

 seed-cotton each season, but include in respect of about 

 one-third of this total " Marie Galante " cotton grown in 

 the Grenadines. 



The advantages of the system are many, and its in- 

 auguration by the Government has had a very beneficial 

 influence on the industry as carried on by the small man. 



In order to describe the many pests and diseases to 

 which Sea Island cotton is subject another paper cf 

 considerable length would have to be written. It is only 

 possible to refer briefly to certain of the most important 

 of them here. 



In all the islands except St. Vincent the cotton worm 

 (Alabama argillacea) is a very troublesome pest, and does 

 a considerable amount of damage each year. Strict watch 

 has to be kept for it throughout the growing season, and 

 Paris green or London purple promptly applied at the 



