6 



This boll is well grown and matured and evidently picked just at 

 I he ripe stage, the lint is excellent both as to colour and staple, the 

 latter being of good length and strength. But unginned cotton is 

 very deceptive, some growths suffer considerably by ginning, the 

 staple being often cut and or weake led thereby. 



We dare not put a value upon lint on a single boll, but we may 

 say that given the same colour, length and strength of staple such 

 cotton would rank among the best growths and would bring a very 

 high price say about lid. per lb. to-day. 



You say it is from American seed, but the friend from whom the 

 -red was obtained does not know what sort it was. From the seed 

 in the boll we should say that it must be from either American, Sea 

 Island or Egyptian Seed. 



The plant you describe is somewhat abnormal " Eleven months 

 old and full of bloom." In America seed time and harvest is 

 covered by six months, and in India and Egypt, it is much about 

 the same, 4 to 5 feet high is a good growth. In the new States of 

 America there is little or no fertilising, in the old States, Phosphates 

 are largely used. In the Sea Islands recuperation is brought about 

 by allowing the land to lie fallow for a season. 



We send you by this post the ''West Indian Bulletin" from which 

 you w ill gather much that is interesting and instructive regarding 

 the planting and cultivation of cotton, experimental planting will 

 teach you more; the rigid adherence to American practices has not 

 proved successful in Africa, and your district will doubtless produce 

 a quality of cotton peculiar to itself and by methods specifically 

 called for by soil and climate. We would suggest that we send you 

 small quantities of Sea Island Seed, Egyptian Seed and American 

 ordinary seed. 



And it in any way we can assist you we shall be glad to do so. 

 W e may add that we have never seen anything that could approach 

 in quality your sample boll, grown East of Suez. 



I have, etc., 

 Forbes, Forbes, Campbell & Co, Ltd. 



M. L. HALL, 

 Manager. 



FIBRES. 



{Continued.) 



The Pineapple (Ananassa sativa) produces a very high class fibre 

 but is very difficult to extract cheaply because of the hardness of 

 the epidermis of the leaf. No machine seems to work it really 

 well and economically and all the best samples have been made 

 by hand. The largest quantity is made in the Philippines. Hand- 

 made fibres can only be satisfactorily prepared where labour is 

 < In ap and plentiful, and this is not the case in the Malay Peninsula. 



