330 
In Montserrat the staple is very largely cultivated both on 
estates and by peasants; the crop now constitutes the principal 
product of the island, and its introduction has resulted in the 
re-establishment of a considerable measure of prosperity. 
In the Virgin Islands the industry is conducted purely as a 
peasant industry, and cotton is widely grown on numerous 
scattered small holdings on the collection of small islands of 
which the Presidency is composed. The crop is purchased and 
exported by the Government through the medium of the 
Agricultural Department. Its introduction has resulted in the 
establishment of a greatly increased measure of prosperity 
among the peasant proprietary of the locality. 
The industry may be looked on as firmly established in the 
Colony; the period of its development is brief, but in that time 
it has effected a very pronounced improvement in the economic 
conditions, and now ranks second in importance in the indus- 
tries of the Colony. The present position must be attributed 
in no small measure to the unremitting efforts which have been 
made to foster development. The future of the industry 
depends on the continuation of favourable market conditions 
and on the absence of any wholesale destructive agency which 
does not permit of ready control. 
The history of the development of the industry is of interest 
and serves to indicate the steps best calculated to promote the 
development of other agricultural industries under similar 
conditions. 
[ Discussion. ] 
Mr. C. M. WotstenHotme: I should like to ask Mr. Tempany 
why the profit-sharing scheme is not more extended in the 
Leeward Islands. The profit-sharing policy adopted by Mr. 
Sands and also in the Virgin Islands is much more suitable 
for commercial purposes. At present all the peasant cotton 
from Montserrat, Nevis, St. Kitts, and some of the other Lee- 
ward Islands is shipped in one-bale lots which are uncom- 
mercial, and they will never get a good price for their cotton 
until they work on the profit-sharing system. I should like 
to ask him why it is not adopted to a greater extent. 
Mr. Tempany: With regard to the question which has been 
raised by Mr. Wolstenholme, I would say that in the Virgin 
Islands, as in St. Vincent, the ginneries are under the control 
of the Government. The whole of the cotton is purchased 
there, consequently the size of the shipments can be absolutely 
regulated. In the other islands the. ginneries are privately 
owned. In some cases cotton is purchased and shipped in lots 
by the owners of the ginneries. In other cases the peasants 
insist on the shipment of their cotton, which usually comes 
