39*^ 
dered  by  Government  by  introducing  seeds  of  all  the  best  known 
varieties  of  Sea  Island,  Egyptian,  American,  Indian  and  West 
Indian  cottons  and  distributing  them  to  planters  and  others  who 
are  willing  to  give  the  cultivation  a trial  at  a nominal  price  : also 
by  the  introduction  of  ginning  machines  and  baling  presses  of  the 
most  approved  types. 
If  the  natives  showed  any  inclination  to  take  to  this  cultivation, 
Government  might  assist  on  the  lines  laid  down  in  my  letter  on 
Page  12. 
Attention  might  also  be  directed  to  the  local  varieties  of  Gossy- 
piiiin  barbademe  and  G.  herbaceiim  also  to  Eriodendrnn  anfrac- 
fuosum,  an  arborescent  species  which  might  be  planted  as  a shade 
tree,  and  which  produces  a fibre  said  to  be  specially  valued  for  the 
manufacture  of  life-buoys. 
Much  however  might  be  done  by  planters  themselves,  who  by 
means  of  improved  cultivation  and  seed  selection  should  aim  at 
procuring  a good  staple,  an  increased  quantity  of  lint,  an  early 
cropping  variety  and  a variety  immune  to  disease.  The  extent  to 
which  it  is  possible  to  increase  the  yield  by  the  adoption  of  scientfiic 
methods,  is  shown  by  the  fact  that  in  the  United  States,  although 
the  average  yield  is  only  about  190  lbs.  of  lint  per  acre,  yields, 
varying  from  500  to  800  lbs.  per  acre,  have  been  frequently  obtained 
on  many  large,  carefully  cultivated  tracts  [vide  year  book  of  De- 
partment of  Agriculture). 
1 am  of  opinion  that  Government  should  take  up  the  experi- 
mental cultivation  of  this  product — on  a limited  scale  at  first — by 
starting  small  experimental  plots  in  different  localities,  and,  by 
means  of  selection  and  hybridization,  attempt  to  raise  disease- 
resisting  varieties  and  improve  the  quality  of  the  lint  and  yield  per 
acre  ; and,  if  the  results  were  promising,  afterwards  on  a scale 
sufficiently  extensive,  to  demonstrate  conclusively  the  suitability 
or  otherwise  of  this  crop  as  an  agricultural  undertaking  to  the  con- 
ditions obtaining  here,  d'hen,  and  not  till  then,  will  capitalists  be 
prepared  to  invest  money  in  its  cultivation- 
I have,  etc., 
STANLEY  ARDEN, 
Superintendent , Experimental  Plantations, 
The  Federal  Secretary, 
Kuala  Lzimpur. 
COTTON  IN  THE  STRAITS  SETTLEMENTS 
FORTY  YEARS  AGO. 
Mr.  Balestier  writes  in  Logan’s  Journal  II  p.  149  “Sanguine 
expectations  were  at  one  time  entertained  of  raising  Cotton  on  the 
island  and  considerable  expense  was  incurred  in  giving  it  a fair 
trial,  but  the  magnificent  reports  of  coming  crops  sent  to  the 
