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returned from German New Guinea, informs me that the natives 

 there grow eotton as a catch crop throughout their coconut planta- 

 tions with great success. They overcome the difficulty of prevent- 

 ing their crop being damaged by wet weather by gathering the pods 

 before thev are quite ripe and then allowing them to ripen in 

 sheds — F.'M. Porchkr. 



I have tried the planting of what they call South Sea cotton and 

 my first crop has been a success as it was picked in the dry sea- 

 son in June and July, but my next was a failure as it came on in 

 the wet season and was all spoilt, so 1 gave it up. I do not think 

 it a good thing to ask planters to grow it on a small scale, but let 

 Government do it on, say, 50-acre blocks in different coast districts, 

 say, Port Dickson, and let Mr ARDEN who has begun the initia- 

 tion start blocks of 50 acres. I agree with both Mr. LAKE and Mr, 

 SKINNER that planters could not keep things separate enough to 

 give the actual cost per acre — W. J COATES. 



I think planters would be quite willing to assist by giving a few 

 acres of land for experimental purposes, provided the Government 

 paid all expenses, but I do not think the idea of prizes of grants 

 of land a good one — Henry F. Browell. 



I would suggest that a planter in each district be asked to give 

 a few acres of land to grow the different kinds of cotton, sowing 

 same at different times during the year, and Mr. ARDEN visits those 

 places and collects information for the use of all, also District 

 Officers be given seed which he could supply free lo suitable pen- 

 ghulus in his district who are likely to look after the product. 



The Government would pay all out-of-pocket expenses to the 

 planter and make an offer straight away for the purchase of properly 

 treated cotton grown for, say, two years. In this way we would 

 kno.v once and for ever if cotton can be grown with success and 

 what kind is suitable. The result might be very valuable. — C. 

 Meikle. 



Although little and nothing can be known about the results 

 profitable or otherwise of cotton growing in these States unless a 

 fairly large experiment is made in the cultivation, I consider it well 

 worth a trial, provided the Government will pay all expenses. I do 

 not think that an experiment for one year only will be any test, 

 sufficient to justify planting on a large scale. A glance at the rain- 

 fall chart will show how contrary the wet seasons have been in the 

 past. 



Before starting on the experiment I should advise it being fully 

 ascertained what pests attack the plant and the best remedy for deal- 

 ing with such pests. I some time ago tried to grow what is known 

 as South Sea Island cotton and found that the plants were all 

 decimated by some web-spinning caterpillar, even the pods were 

 riddled. It may be, however, that pests will not attack the trees in 

 some soils so much as others, that is for experiment. 



