SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 
(2) The manufacture of mixed cotton and woollen goods. This 
outlet is also limited, but in 1916 and 1917 a total of 
282 tons of cotton was imported from the East for this 
purpose, in addition to 25 tons of Queensland cotton sold 
in Australia for that purpose. 
(3) The prospective manufacture of cotton goods in Australia. 
That is, as indicated, prospective, and past experience at 
Ipswich leads us to the conclusion that its development 
will depend largely on fiscal policy pursued by the 
Commonwealth Government. 
_ The utilization of the cotton seed by the manufacture of cotton seed 
oil and other by-products will yield further returns, and must be taken 
into account. 
We are of the opinion that the present consumption of raw cotton 
in Australia is sufficient to give the-cotton industry every opportunity 
of becoming established as a staple primary industry. If this opinion 
is correct, it becomes necessary to consider what will be the best methods 
to adopt to encourage its development. 
We consider it necessary—_ 
(1) To take every possible precaution to prevent the introduc- 
tion from America or elsewhere of the various cotton 
pests. With this object in view, all imported seed should 
be propagated in quarantine before distribution. 
(2) To ascertain the most suitable varieties of cotton to meet— 
(a) the requirements of Australian consumers; 
(b) the climatic and soil conditions of the districts 
in which cotton can be grown with advantage; 
(c) the possibility of using the mechanical picker. 
(3) To encourage farmers to grow each a few acres of cotton 
as an auxiliary crop, rather than prematurely to reintro- 
duce the plantation system. 
This mode of procedure is advisable as presenting the 
dual advantages that the farmer is not at the mercy of a 
possible failure of a new type of crop, and that a crop of 
a few acres could be picked by a family of average size 
without employment of casual labour. 
We would suggest that the following methods of 
encouragement might be adopted :— 
(a) Propaganda with issue of suitable bulletins. 
(b) A continuation of the State Department of 
Agriculture’s system of ginning and market- 
ing on owners’ account. 
(c) A guarantee by the Commonwealth Government 
for five years of an amount certified to by the 
State Department of Agriculture that will 
enable the grower to receive 4d. per Ib. for 
seed cotton on the farm. 
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