Fibres. 



14 



[Jan. 1908. 



from twelve of these after the final examination. The seed from the finally selected 

 plants is very carefully dealt with in each case. On each of the estates where the 

 experiments are being conducted, a special plot of land is set apart as a nursery, 

 and in this nursery the seed is carefully sown, care being taken to have the nursery 

 in such a position that the plants are not likely to be cross-fertilized by those in 

 the general field. Another important factor in selecting the nursery is that the 

 soil and situation shall be nearly as possible typical of the general conditions 

 of the estate. 



The principal measurable qualities of the cotton produced by these selected 

 plants in Barbados, during the seasons 1905-6 and 1906-7, and in St. Vincent during 

 the season 1906-7, are clearly shown in the following^table :— 



Average per- 



Average length centage pro- Average dia- 



of staple. portion of meter of fibre, 



weak fibre. 



Barbados ... 1905-6 507 mm. 27-21 0-0156 mm. 



Barbados ... 1906-7 47-7 mm. 24*1 0-0155 mm. 



St. Vincent ... 1906-7 477 mm. 2'22 1-0159 mm. 



A comparison of these figures is interesting, since they indicate the measur- 

 able qualities of the cotton. As regards the length of Barbados cotton, it will be 

 seen that this reason, the staple from the selected plants is shorter than that of 

 last year. The reason for that is that, as a result of statements made by Mr. E. 

 Lomas Oliver during his visit to the West Indies during the early part of this 

 year, greater importance has been attached to the strength of the cotton than to 

 its length. In describing the relative values of the various qualities, Mr. Oliver 

 stated that strength was of greatest importance ; then came fineness, and next 

 length. This being the case, those responsible for the selection experiments have 

 been willing to make certain sacrifice as regard length in order to obtain strength. 

 It will be noticed that the selected plants of this year contaiued much less weak 

 fibre than those of the previous season, some of the individual plants this year 

 containing as low as 17 per cent, weak fibre, while last year none produced less than 

 24 per cent. 



The above table does not show clearly the extent to which St. Vincent 

 cotton scores over Barbados cotton, and it should be stated that only a very few 

 samples of cotton produced in the latter island contained a low proportion of weak 

 fibres, whereas this low portion of weak fibre was a very marked factor in nearly 

 all the samples from St. Vincent. 



This year the experiments will again be continued, and we hope by these 

 carefully and thorough means to maintain the high qualities of West Indian cotton, 

 and thus to place the cotton industry on a more substantial footing. — Agricultural 

 News of the Imperial Department of Agriculture for the West Indies, Vol. VII, 

 No. 143. 



Barbados, 19th October, 1907. 



SISAL FIBRE CULTIVATION. 

 Beginners of sisal planting, if not well posted in the subject by practical 

 object lessons, must be often at a loss as to which of the many writers on the subject 

 to follow. 



" N " in " Capital " for instance would lead us to think we had tumbled upon 

 a veritable Tom Tiddler's ground in fibre cultivation. A sanguine temperament is a 

 pleasing and essential trait in the successful establishing of a profitable planting 

 industry, but, if not to a certain extent combined with business discretion is apt to 

 lead to disaster. 



