Fibres. 



132 



[February, 1909. 



caterpillar which feeds on the leaves 

 is not a very serious menace. It can be 

 effectually and economically kept at 

 bay by the use of the Paris-Green Spray, 

 consistently applied from the time it 

 makes its first appearance. On the 

 other hand, the insect which destroys 

 the bolls appears during the period 

 that the bolls are formed, and can only 

 be prevented from multiplying indefi- 

 nitely by preventing the cotton plant 

 from assuming a perennial character. 



Cotton Successful Rotation Crop. 



From the above considerations it will 

 be evident that cotton cultivation may 

 be carried on in Ceylon with profit if 

 planted in flat lands capable of easy cul- 

 tivation as an item in a series of crop 

 rotations. In districts where the rain- 

 fall is sufficient, and its distributions 

 favourable, the crop may be grown as 

 in America and in West Indies without 

 irrigation. On the other hand, where 

 irrigation water is available, the most 

 favourable conditions exist for the 

 carrying on of this cultivation — condi- 

 tions simillar to those that prevail in 

 Egypt. I have no hesitation in stating 

 that with proper cultivation and under 

 irrigation a crop of 250 to 300 pounds of 

 lint per acre may easily be gathered 

 Avith the Sea Island variety, and perhaps 

 400 pounds or more with the Egyptian 

 cotton, Such a crop at present prices 



would yield a very handsome profit and 

 one sufficient to attract capital to 

 remote and unopened districts, provid- 

 ed, however, labour is available. 



Jaffna a Suitable Centre, 



In the Jaffna peninsula, on the other 

 hand, where labour is plentiful, and 

 where the sytem of farming is such that 

 cotton can easily represent an item of 

 ordinary cultivation, this product may 

 be grown with greater success than 

 perhaps in any other part of the Island, 

 Now that tobacco cultivation is no 

 longer profitable, 1 would suggest that 

 cotton be grown in place of tobacco. 

 Cotton requires less water and infinite- 

 ly less care and attention than tobacco, 

 whilst the present prices promise greater 

 profits. The surface-Avells so prominent 

 in the Northern Peninsula are admir- 

 ably suited to the irrigation of cotton. 



Market for Cotton. 



Hitherto considerable difficulty exist- 

 ed in the sale of produce by small 

 farmers, as there were no local buyers 

 for the unginned produce. The pioneer- 

 ing work that has already been done 

 has encouraged the British Cotton Grow- 

 ing Association to set up a local ginning 

 plant through their agents in Colombo, 

 who are prepared to help all growers, 

 however small, to sell their produce at 

 the best market rates. 



