COTTON 317 



Soils and Climate. 



The soils on which cotton is grown comprise a large 

 variety of types : in St. Kitts, Nevis, Montserrat, the 

 Virgin Islands, and the southern district of Antigua they 

 consist of sands, sandy loams, and loams of volcanic 

 origin ; in the northern district of Antigua, Anguilla, and 

 Barbuda, the soils are calcareous, being derived from 

 limestone rocks of varying age. On the whole it may be 

 said that moderately light volcanic soils are best suited to 

 cotton cultivation, although good returns are frequently 

 obtained on calcareous soils and on non-calcareous soils 

 of heavier texture. 



The rainfall in the different districts in which cotton is 

 grown ranges from 30 to 70 in. per annum, and in 

 some places even more; where the rainfall is high, how- 

 ever, cotton can only be successfully grown where soil 

 conditions are such as to favour free drainage. 



Conditions under which the Crop is grown. 



Sea Island cotton is cultivated both as an estates' crop 

 and also by small peasant proprietors. 



In Antigua it is grown on estates both as a main crop 

 and as a rotation crop with sugar-cane on sugar estates, 

 while there is a small peasant cotton growing industry. 

 In St. Kitts the crop is chiefly cultivated as an inter- 

 mediate between two crops of sugar-cane, while it is also 

 grown to some extent as a main crop ; in this island there 

 is no peasant cotton growing industry. In Nevis it is 

 grown both as a main crop and also as a rotation crop 

 on sugar estates; while there is a very important peasant 

 industry. In Anguilla the cotton industry is almost 

 entirely in the hands of the peasants. In Montserrat the 

 crop is extensively grown on estates and constitutes the 

 staple crop of the island, while there is also an important 

 peasant industry. In the Virgin Islands the industry is 

 exclusively conducted by peasant growers. 



Area under Cultivation. 



Owing to the fact that an appreciable proportion of 

 the crop is grown by peasants on small holdings scattered 



