374 



The Supplement to the Tropical Agriculturist 



which has still this energy to expend ; this is an 

 important factor in the control of bacterial 

 disease a3 inoculation takes place by the leaf. 

 The leaves of the earlier sown cotton are much 

 less active in April and May than the leaves of 

 the younger plants sown in January and Feb- 

 ruary, hence they are unable to resist so success- 

 fully the attack of the disease. 



III. Variety of Cotton. — As already men- 

 tioned Egyptian and Sea Island cottons are 

 peculiarly subject to this disease and it might 

 be further noted that Brasilian and Caravonica 

 cot ton is also attacked more severely than Up- 

 land varieties. The action of the disease on the 

 different varieties of Egyptian cotton varies: — 

 Jannovitch and Abassi once attacked seldom if 

 ever recover; on the other hand Mit-afiffi will 

 turn equally black in April or May, but when it 

 receives an inch of rain will send out auxiliary 

 branches and bear a small crop of cotton. The 

 flowers and bolls of this secondary growth 

 are small with the result that the fibre is short, 

 irregular and weak; it is also difficult to sell 

 being too poor in quality to be included as 

 Egyptian proper and of the wrong colour to mix 

 with American Upland. Nyasaland Upland 

 cotton and Hybrid American-Egyptian show 

 resistance in a marked degree; on one estate in 

 the past season practically all Egyptian cotton 

 was killed out by the disease, and standing sur- 

 rounded by dead and diseased cotton were two 

 patches of the above cottons practically without 

 disease and yielding a fair crop. 



Prevention. — Once the crop is infected, little 

 can be done; but much can be done for follow- 

 ing crops by respecting the plant's requirements 

 and favouring healthy growth. The writer feels 

 thoroughly convinced that a large portion of 

 the lowlying land adjoining the river is quite 

 unsuitable for Egyptian cotton although suit- 

 able for Nyasaland upland, and recommends 

 prospective planters to carefully consider the 

 situation and texture of the soil before opening 

 upland for an Egyptian cotton plantation. All 

 cotton should be up-rooted and burnt imme- 

 diately after picking the crop as the old sticks 

 may carry the disease to the next season's crop. 

 The practice of ratooning cotton should be 

 avoided and especially on River plantations. 

 Care should be taken to avoid introducing dis- 

 ease to new plantations by using seed from a 

 plantation already infected. If such seed must 

 be used, it should be treated by soaking for 1 

 hour in a solution of corrosive sublimate in the 

 proportion of 1 to 1,000 (i.e. one pound to 100 

 gallons of water) or in a solution of 40 per cent 

 Formalin, 1 pint to 50 gallons of water.— Nyasa- 

 land Government, Gazette, Feb. 28. 



THE CEYLON HANDBOOK AND 

 DIRECTORY. 

 The publishers of this standard Directory 

 have had an unprecedented demand for the 

 1909-10 edition and are now left without a single 

 copy though orders continue to reach them almost 

 daily. The new edition is already in course of 

 preparation and will contain much new infor- 

 mation with the old features carefully revised 

 and brought up-to-date, particularly the Planting 

 Review and the list of Planting Companies. In 

 view of the early publication advertisers and 

 subscribers should send in their orders at once 

 to A. M. & J. Ferguson, Ceylon Observer and 

 Tropical Agriculturist Office, Colombo, Ceylon. 



CEYLON COCONUT OIL IN AMERICA. 



Annual Report. 

 With the exception of the period between 

 March and May the market displayed unusual 

 strength throughout the year. This was not in 

 any way due to the demand for soap-making pur- 

 poses, as has been the case heretofore, but was 

 mainly the result of an extraordinarily heavy 

 demand for edible coconut oil from the marga- 

 rine manufacturers of both the United States 

 and the Continent. Coconut oil quotations 

 during the last half-year closely followed those 

 of lard. — The year opened with the market 

 firm, which was due mostly to the fact that the 

 bears were covering rather than to any large 

 consuming demand. After these interests had 

 accomplished their purpose the market sagged 

 somewhat, and in February and March sales 

 passed at 6£c;, which was the lowest price re- 

 corded during the year. Soap manufacturers 

 had been quite active buyers during this period. 

 — Toward the beginning of summer, when the 

 great scarcity of beef and hog fats both at home 

 and abroad became evident, it was seen that 

 the demand for coconut oil for edible purposes 

 would be far in excess of that for soap making, 

 and prices began to stiffen, reaching 7&c. in May, 

 7£c. in June and 8c. in July. A temporary re- 

 action took place in August, however, and sales 

 passed on the spot at 7£c, and in Oct. at 7|c. 

 However, in November the demand for coco- 

 nut oil from the margarine manufacturers of the 

 continent became again very heavy and spot 

 prices responded accordingly, sales having 

 passed at a minimum quotation of 8 1 8c, rang- 

 ing up to 8|c, with stocks very light and ship- 

 ment positions quoting close to the spot quota- 

 tions. In December the lowest quotation was 9c, 

 sales having passed as high as 9£c The ship- 

 ments of copra from the Far East for eleven 

 months show a falling off of 17,000 tons, which 

 had, in its way, a certain effect upon the market, 

 but the strong and unusual demand for edible 

 oil is mainly held responsible for the strong posi- 

 tion of the market throughout the year. The 

 soap interests, realising that coconut oil selling 

 at £10 per ton more than it did at the beginning 

 of the year would hardly be available in a large 

 way for their use, turned to other ingredients, 

 which also advanced in most instances to the 

 highest prices in recent years. The subjoined 

 table gives the high and low prices for each 

 month from January 1, 1905, to Dec, 31, 1909, 

 on Ceylon coconut oil, the figures being based 

 on the closing quotation of each successive 

 week : 



1809. 



1908. 



1907. 



fit. 



L. 



1J. 



L. 



H. 



L. 



Jan. 7 



62 



7 



61 



9.4 



91 



Feb. 71-! 





iffi} 



6.! 



91 



93- 



Mar. 6 6-8 6i 



7 



64 



10 



928 



April 6 7-8 63-S 



6i 



61 



9 7- 



«i 



May 7 1-1 



S60-8 



7 



6 1-8 



9 7-8 



9i 



June 71 



71-8 





61-8 



9 5-8 



9 



July 8 



71 



6l 



61-8 



91 



9J 



9 



Aug. n 



71 



i .V 



6 1-8 



82 



Sept. 73 



74 



61 



61-8 



8J 



72 



Oct. 8 



7 3-8 



7 



6* 



81 



8 



Nov. 84 



8H-8 



rt 



64 



S £ 

 7j 



71 



Oec. 9} 



9 



7 



6 



62 



Year 9£ 



6 3-8 



7 



6 



91 



61 



1906. 

 H. L. 

 B 5-8 61 

 62 61 

 62 6 3-8 

 7 6.4 

 71 62 

 7 1-8 6 7-8 

 71 7 



71 7 3-8 



72 7i 

 H 81 

 91 84 

 9i 81 

 94 64 



1905. 

 H. L. 

 6 5-8 

 61 

 61 



6 1-8 

 61-8 



61 



6 * 

 61 



6 3-8 



61 



6 3-8 

 61 



6 1-8 



61 



6 3-8 

 6 3-S 



61 

 6A 



61 



6 3-8 



