COTTON 319 



assumed, the value of the industry during- the past three 

 years has ranged between 75,000 and 100,000 per 

 annum, while the total exports for the whole period of 

 eleven years considerably exceed 5,000,000 in value. 

 These figures do not include values for cotton seed, which 

 during the past three years at a moderate estimate have 

 been equal to an additional 7,000 to 9,000 per annum. 

 It will be further seen that according to the estimate of 

 the total acreage given the yield per acre has averaged 

 from 100 Ib. to 150 Ib. of lint during the past three years. 



Seed Supply. 



Sea Island cotton is the most highly specialized variety 

 at present cultivated on an extended scale. Its essential 

 features consist in relatively great length of staple 

 combined with the property known as fineness; for the 

 production of a thoroughly marketable article certain 

 other qualities must also be associated with those already 

 mentioned, namely, regularity in the length of the fibre, 

 adequate strength, freedom from weak and immature 

 fibre, and a high degree of lustrousness. 



For the maintenance of these qualities great care is 

 essential in the selection of a suitable seed supply for 

 planting purposes. 



At the outset of the industry this was secured through 

 the instrumentality of the Imperial Department of Agri- 

 culture for the West Indies, whereby a supply of specially 

 selected seed was procured in 1904 from the Sea Islands 

 of Carolina; this has formed the starting point from which 

 practically all the strains of seed at present cultivated 

 have been derived; had this step not been taken there is 

 little doubt that the development of the industry would 

 in some degree have been retarded. 



During the earlier years of the industry the supply of 

 selected seed for planting purposes remained under the 

 direction of the Imperial Department of Agriculture, and 

 for this purpose certain marks of cotton which had been 

 favourably reported on were each year reserved for 

 planting. 



With the growth of the industry the actual supply of 

 seed has gradually passed to a large extent into the hands 

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