FIBRES. 



COTTON-GROWING. 



When the highly remunerative result of the cotton crop of 1905 is con- 

 sidered, it seems extraordinary that cotton-growing should this year once more 

 have to be reckoned amongst the neglected industries. If all the men on the 

 land were dairy farmers, we could easily understand that fodder crops would 

 claim all the available arable land. Those who are now devoting their energies 

 to raising lambs for export would also not be likely to touch cotton. But there 

 are hundreds of farmers who devote their land to the ordinary farm crops, 

 some of which, according to meteorologists, will continue for a cycle of years 

 to scarcely pay for the labour of cultivation, preparation, and marketing. To such 

 men the business of cotton-growing should appeal with much more force. They 

 appear to fear that the price of cotton will fall to a non-paying point about 

 the time when their crop would be ready for market. But what are the facts? 

 What prospect is there of a fall? The cotton-growers of the United States 

 have again had a short crop. The estimated 12,000,000 bales for 1905-6 will not 

 be realised by at least 3,000,000 bales, and of a 9,000,000 bale crop an immense 

 proportion is used in the American cotton mills, which are yearly increasing 

 in numbers. England must have cotton, so must Germany and France. If 

 America cannot supply it, it must be got elsewhere. But from what country? 

 From India? From Africa? From the West Indies? From Egypt? 



Let us take India. Large quantities of cotton are produced there certainly, 

 but, although thousands of pounds sterling have been expended in attempts to 

 produce a cotton such as any Queensland farmer can produce, failure has con- 

 stantly been recorded, and lately India has had recourse to Queensland to obtain 

 seed of a variety which in this State succeeds well in the North, whilst in all 

 probability it will share the fate of all other imported varieties in India. We 

 allude to the two Caravonica varieties grown by Dr. Thomatis, at Cairns. That 

 srentleman has lately sent large quantities of seed to India— we cannot say at 

 what price, but rumour has it the doctor's cotton seed is proving a mine of 

 wealth to him. As a rule, Indian cotton is short in staple and rather coarse, 

 and consequently does not fetch a high price in the English market. The annual 

 output of Indian cotton is about 3,000,000 bales of 5001b. each. As to Africa, 

 good cotton can be grown there, but, in spite of the supposed cheapness of 

 native labour, late accounts state that owing to labour troubles cotton-growing 

 in some parts has had to be abandoned. In the West Indies practically only 

 one kind of cotton is grown— Sea Island, which always brings a high price. 

 But the range of Sea Island cotton is limited, and the demand for it can scarcely 

 be supplied by the West Indies and the American Sea Islands together. The 

 total world's production of Sea Island cotton is only 110,000 bales, of a value of 

 £100,000. In Queensland, Sea Island cotton can only be grown successfully on 

 the coast, particularly in the Northern districts. Inland from Brisbane, Mary- 

 borough, Rockhampton, and Townsville westwards, the Upland cotton must be 

 grown. Egyptian cotton has always been famous for its excellence, both of 

 colour, length of staple, and fineness ; but of late the value of Egyptian cotton 

 has much deteriorated owing to carelessness on the part of the growers about 

 the seed. Different varieties have been grown in the same field, with the result 

 that produce is mixed and therefore not so valuable as it used to be. Egypt 



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