The Sun.
London, England, 1864-07-07 00:00:00

COTTON SUPPLY ASSOCIATION,

At the usual weekly meeting of the executive committee,
held on Tuesday, a letter was read, enclosing a
sample cf
cotton grown in the Kennedy district of North Queensland
from Egyptian seed supplied by the association, which was
planted in October, and gathered in February. The writer
appears to have been the first person who has tried to intro-
duce cotton cultivation at Port Denison, and be states that
his experiment has succeeded well. The Victorian Cotton
Company at Moreton Bay has furnished a small quantity of
Sea Island seed for distribution, with a view to test the soil
and climate of different parts of the northern district of the
colony. The sample sent is remarkably good, and valued
at 2s 8d per lb. A. letter was received from Queensland,
describing the excessive rains and
co*sequent floods, which
have inflicted considerable damage upon the cotton crop,
and the liability to which at a critical stage of the growth
will, it is feared, prove a serious hindrance to the cultiva-
tion ®i cotton in Queensland. The writer forwards a small
sample grown under peculiar circumstances from some seeds
which bad fallen with rubbish upon rough
ground, the plants
trom which were afterwards transferred to the garden. He
has now some acres pl anted with cotton about 15 miles from
Brisbane, on South Pine River, and the fact that the plants
are producing the second
Year seems to indicate that they
are perennial,The
sample, though too small for an accurate
estimate. was valued at 2s 10d to 3s per lb. Another sample
of Sea Island cotton from Queensland was valued at 3s 9d
to 4s per lb. The letter accompanying it states that it has
been grown by soma emigrants on their own farm at the
Junction Pens, Ipswich, from seed granted to them by the
association in March, 1863, and that they entered upon their
land in the following August. A letter from Buenos Ayres
actual inspection, reports, as the result of that this year's
cotton crop in Paraguay will
Pr
and there is every reason to eaptatbril pat rdu e 3,000 bal
es,
President next
year
10 o
ol eOO,
President of the Republic of Paraguay is
making
bales will be obtained from that country. Anothetroceoxrtreensd-
pondent at Buenos Ayres, referring to the efforts which the
the growth of cotton,
states that the crop this year is ex-
pected to amount to 4,000 eroloas. A sample grown in Huy-
mayta, Paraguay, has been forwarded for inspection. Im-
mense progress has bees made lathe provinces of Mendoza,
Entre Rios, and Catamarea, as also in Cordova, but parti-
cularly in Catamarca, Which proniises to be the best in the
Republic. The Muihter
of the Interior has addressed a
circular to the governor of each province, calling attention
to the subject of cotton cultivation, and urging that no effoi is
should be spared to insure success. The severe drought of
the past season has done some harm, but nob so much as
was expected. A letter from Rio Grande, accompanying
various samples, states that the people are beginning to be
fully alive to the importance o 1 growing cotton, and that a
considerable quantity willbe produced next season. A letter
from St. Thomas, West ladies, represents tht.-.t cotton pro-
mises to be more rerauasative than sugar under existing
circumstances. and that many parties are entering into the
cultivation. There are extensive tracts of land in the fertile
Island of Vieques (Crab Island), which could be made
available if capitalists could be found to make the necEssary
advances. A letter from the Governor of Quilimane,
Africa, was read, stating that he has made a proposal to
the Portuguese Gpvermrent which, if accepted as he ex-
pects, will authorise bin to grant land for growing
cotton at the low rate )1 10 reis (one halfpenny) per
hectare, and to provide agricultural labourers, to
the extent of 6,000 persons, at is per day, The importation
of seed, machinery, tools and cattle •for agricultural pur-
poses will also be free of duty for 10 years, as also the ex-
portation of the cotton produced by the new undertaking,
Letters were received from Natal, stating that various pri-
vate individuals are planing cotton on a small scale, who
will extend their operations should their present experi-
ments prove satisfactory. The great uncertainty of labour
has hitherto been the principal hindrance, and makes it
doubtful whether the cultivation of cotton can be depended

upon for the future. The new cotton company have about
760 acres planted, and in different directions in small patches
there are about 500 acres more. The season has been fa-
vourable, with the exception of heavy rains at the end of
last year, and cotton is now considered a profitable invest-
ment. The liberal encouragement given by the cotton com-
pany and the advances made on the growing crops have
been most beneficial. This season's crop is now coming
rapidly to market, and is readily sold at from 5d to 8d per
lb. in the seed. These favourable prices are exerting a
stimulating influence. A letter from the British Consulate,
Pirstras, states that many parts of Greece are this year for
the first time growing cotton. The owners of land and
agricultural labourers are feeling the benefit of this new
source of wealth, and it is expected that cotton will be ex-
tensively cultivated. A letter from Nosuata, Fiji, states
that arrangements are in progress by the writer for ship-
ping about 20 tons of cotton to the association, although
his premises, with a large quantity of cotton and other
goods, have been burnt down, A despatch was received
from the Governor of Western Australia, with various
samples of cotton and details as to their cultivation,