347 
draw  attention  to  the  following  figures  representing  the  exports  of 
the  raw  cotton  from  Java  : — - 
9:/g8  
9S/99  
99/00  
00/01  
02/03 
4,274,941  kilogrammes 
5,083,094 
13,952,646 
3,316,900 
6,576,667 
[These  figures  do  not  include  Kapok  {Eriodendron  anfractuosum) 
of  which  form  of  cotton  the  average  annual  exports  amount  to  about 
3,000,000  kilogs.]  The  great  fall  in  the  exports  of  raw  cotton  after 
1900  will  probably  be  found  to  have  its  origin  in  an  increased  local 
demand.  The  Consul  General  for  the  Netherlands  in  Singapore — • 
who  was  so  kind  as  to  supply  me  with  these  figures — informed  me 
he  was  not  able  to  offer  any  information  as  to  this  sudden  decrease 
n the  exports. 
12.  The  declaration  that  “ cotton . requires  a dry  climate’^  is 
made,  I believe,  almost  sohdy  by  those  who  have  no  experience  of 
its  cultivation.  The  following  quotation  from  a letter  addressed  to 
me  by  Mr.  C.  E.  S.  Baxendale  discloses  the  views  held  by  practi- 
cal native  cultivators  with  previous  experience  of  this  form  of  cul- 
tivation, as  to  the  possibility  of  growing  cotton  at  a profit  in  these 
States.  “ About  three  and  a half  years  ago  a deputation  claiming 
to  represent  65  Javanese  landholders  in  this  district  came  to  see  me. 
They  asked  me  to  guarantee  them  a price  {15  cents  a catty  for  the 
clean  cotton  they  suggested)  and  one  of  them  would  go  to  Java  and 
bring  over  seeds  of  the  best  variety,  which  they  called  ‘ Kapas 
Blanda.’  This  kind  is  an  annual.  The  only  kind  I know  here  is 
the  perennial  Kala-kala,  but  there  are  two  other  kinds  known  to 
my  Javanese  friends — Mxala-kala  Palembang,’  and  ‘ Fardeh.’  Their 
expressed  intention  was  to  plant  cotton  solely,  not  as  a catch-crop 
(I  do  not  see  any  reason  why  it  should  not  do  well  with  either  rub- 
ber or  coconuts)  and  the  fact  that  many  of  them  had  been  cotton 
growers  in  Java  and  know  the  soils  and  conditions  of  both  countries 
was  noteworthy.  The  ‘ BlanJa  ’ is  said  to  yield  one  heavy  crop, 
while  our  trees  are  perpetually  yielding  a few  pods  at  a time.” 
13.  Mr.  Cyril  Baxendale  did  not  accept  this  offer,  seeing 
that  his  brokers  were  unable  to  guarantee  him  a future  price.  They 
expressed  their  willingness,  however,  to  buy  Kala-kala  of  the  same 
quality  as  that  he  sent  to  Liverpool  at  prices  varying  (from  different 
brokers)  from  5 W.  to  yr/.  per  lb.,  while  ordinary  prices  at  Liverpool 
were  averaging  about  ^d.  a Ib.  (Prices  at  present  average  about 
^d.  a lb.)  The  Kala-kala  seed  was  valued  at  ^ ton — a very 
high  figure  for  cotton  seed.  The  brokers  reported  that  the  cotton 
was  “a  very  valuable  variety  owing  to  its  ^ harsh  ’ fibre,  this  makes 
it  approach  wool  in  consistency  and  it  is  greatly  sought  .after  by 
woollen  manufacturers  to  mix  with  wool. 
14.  I presume  that  the  “ Kapas  Blanda  ” referred  toby  the 
Javanese  was  an  imported  variety  of  the  Sea  Island  cotton-produc- 
ing plant  {G.  Barhadense).  This  plant,  though  not  deciduous,  is 
