November, 1909.] 



407 



Fibres. 



the plants through a longer series of 

 generations than has hitherto been done. 



Tbe shape of the leaf and the colour 

 of the flower are easy to observe, and 

 in the plants selected differ very mark- 

 edly. The fineness and length of the lint 

 is another character which Professor 

 Pyson shows some reason for supposing to 

 be capable of manipulating by crossing. 

 But it is just here that the difficulties of 

 the case commence. The experiments 

 with hairs on the seeds were inconclu- 

 sive and indicate that climate has to be 

 considered ; and this factor of environ- 

 ment, which is of no importance to the 

 colour of the flower and the shape of the 

 leaf, makes itself felt the moment we 

 approach the really useful properties of 

 field crops, early flowering, length of 

 life, productiveness, soil requirements, 

 resistance to drought, and so on. Fur- 

 thermore, in place of dealing with plants 

 with marked differences, we have, in 

 examining the cotton crop of any tract, 

 whether Northerns, Salems, Westerns or 

 Coconadas, to deal with an immense 

 eutaglement of allied forms, very closely 

 similar in visible characters but differing 

 greatly in the value of their produce. 

 The problem with Tinnies is simpler, and 

 good work is being accomplished by 

 Mr. H. C, Sampson, Deputy Director of 

 Agriculture, at the Koilpatti Farm. In 

 some respects the separate problems in 

 the Madras cotton tracts appear to be 

 even more arduous than that so skillfully 

 attacked by Mr. Balls in Egypt, and 

 the soil and climate of South India 

 appear likely to prove very harassing 

 impediments in any efforts to improve 

 the staple. We do not, therefore, feel 

 quite so optimistic as Professor Fyson 

 when he says : — "The practical outcome 

 of these observations appears to be 

 that the cross-breeding of these varieties 

 could be carried on with almost mathe- 

 matical precision, and if, as seem likely, 

 these principles apply to other charac- 

 ters, one might expect to obtain any 

 desired type in a very few years." Most 

 heartily do we wish that this may be 

 so, and we trust that Professor Fyson 

 may be able to continue the work he 

 has commenced. The paper is full of 

 interest, and the references show that 

 the author has spent considerable time 

 in reading up the voluminous literature 

 on cotton varieties and the study of 

 characters according to Mendel's laws. 

 It is to be noted that the experiments 

 were conducted under very consider- 

 able difficulties, and great credit is due 

 to Professor Fyson for having persisted 

 and carried through his work to a suc- 

 cessful issue, 



LANCASHIRE COTTON INDUSTRY. 



(From the Indian Trade Journal, Vol. 

 XIII., No. 158, April 8, 1909.) 



Unprofitable Business. 



For more than a year the cotton 

 industry has been depressed, says a 

 writer in tbe Times Financial and Com- 

 mercial Supplement, and there seems to 

 be no prospect of an immediate revival 

 in the demand for cotton piece goods 

 and yarn. The production is large, 

 larger than at any previous period 

 in the history of spinning and weaving ; 

 for the extraordinary "boom" which 

 beeranatthe end of 1904 and lasted practi- 

 cally three years led to a great expansion 

 of spindles and looms. Joint stock 

 companies were formed to erect mills 

 to the extent, in round figures, of 

 10,000,000 spindles, and a large proportion 

 Of these are now working and producing 

 yarn. The increased output at first was 

 absorbed by a heavy export demand, 

 and by extensions in the weaving 

 branch. There are, however, 4,000,000 

 spindles now in course of erection', and 

 these are gradually bringing yarn 

 upon the market. In 1903 we had in 

 this country 44,000,000 spindles ; to-day 

 the figure may be put down at 54,000,000. 

 The weaving looms extensions during 

 the last few years amount to about 

 120,000 looms ; in 1903, the total number 

 was 647,000 looms, and to-day there are 

 760,000. This brief summary will give 

 some idea of the expansion which has 

 recently taken place in the Lancashire 

 cotton trade. 



Conditions in Foreign Markets. 

 Dealing now somewhat in detail with 

 the conditions, it may be said that the 

 larger production of piece goods and 

 the consequent increased shipments 

 have led to an accumulation of stocks 

 overseas. The exports this year so far 

 show a great falling off on the same 

 period in 1908. The weaving trade just 

 now is being carried on at a loss to the 

 manufacturer, though he is able to secure 

 yarn to make cloth at comparatively 

 low rates. India, which takes on an 

 average about 40 per cent, of our total 

 exports of cotton cloth, is operating and 

 placing orders for distant delivery very 

 cautiously. Stocks in Bombay and Cal- 

 cutta are not very heavy, but, in conse- 

 quence of the great decline in values 

 during the past 12 months, dealers there 

 have, it is said, suffered financial loss, 

 and this week Calcatta advices are of 

 a rather disturbing character ; until 

 stocks get fully liquidated in our De- 

 pendency, it is hardly possible to expect 

 much buying. China has been for some 



