The Sun.
London, England, 1864-10-27 00:00:00

Cotton Supply Association.

At the usual weekly meeting of the executive
committee, held on Tueeday, a letter was read from
Malta, reporting that the two gins presented by
the association to the Maltese Exhibition have been
set up, one in the large village of Zebbug, where
any one is at liberty to clean his cotton by it free
of charge, and the other is one of the Government
houses in the neighbouring island of Qozo, for pub-
lic use. By this means it is hoped theme gins
will be useful, and be appreciated in spite of the
great prejudice prevailing against anything new.
The quantity of cotton raised in these islands has
hitherto averaged 3,500,0001 b. per annum, and the
produce of this year is expected to be 4,500,0001 b.
Experiments are in progress with three sorts of
foreign cotton seed, the results of which will be
communicated. The land is principally a good
fruitful clay, mixed more or less with disinte.
grated calcareous sandstone. In some places there
is a mixture of fine red loam, but there is supply of
water. A letter was received from Jaffa, reporting

,he results of cotton cultivation on the Palestine

Model Farm, and enclosing samples of the cotton

grown there from seed sent out by the association.
'The Egyptian and New Orleans varieties are de-

scribed as presenting a beautiful appearance, the
plants being about four feet high and very full ;
the cotton is white, fine, and of long btaple, and has

been grown without irrigation. The cotton raised
from native seed in the district has this year proved

a failure; the plants, though looking healthy and
promising during the whole of the season, have
borne but little, and in many eases nothing what-
ever, whilst the cotton is coarse and of short staple.
It is represented to be highly important that
exotic seed should bo largely introduced, as both
climate and soil are most favourable to the culti-
vation of cotton, and that without irriga-
tion. A letter was read from Mr. Ilyde
Clarke, describing an interview at Constanti.
noplu with Fused Pacha, Grand Vizier, in which
he urged upon the Government the importance of
taking immediate measures to ensure an ample sup-

ply of American seed for distribution in Turkey,

and the fulfilment of the promises made by the

Porte to liberate the cultivators of cotton from the

vexatious interference of the tax collector, as well

as the necessity of securing the construct ion of roads
and railways. Samples of cotton, called " Loran,"
were received from Peru, with an intimation that
this quality is likely to come forward in consider-

able quantities before long. The cultivation of
cotton is reported to be progressing favourably in
Rio Grande do Sul (Brrzlls), and that some parcels
are on their way to Liverpool. A sample was re•
ceived of a fibre from the West Indies, described
as growing in a pod Eke cotton, and a small shrub
oalie.i mako, the bark of which is used to make

cords for tying horEes. A letter was read from the
hot-0:1,1y ageuts of the association at Bombay,

containing details of the distribution of Anaerican
and E;yption seed forwarded to them, and which
has been sent throughout the presidency, and to

other parts of India. Copies of the draft of a new
tariff for the Dutch colonies in the Eastern Seas,

which has been submitted by the Netherlands Go-

vernment to the States-General were received from
the Foreign.office. Consular reports on the cul-
tivation of cotton in the district of Aleppo, Corfu,
Ceara, Maceio, Bahia, and Damascus were received
from the Foreign-office, together with a despatch
from the acting consul-general at Constantinople,
enclosing a report from the vice-consul at Adria-
nople. He states that satisfactory eccounts have
been received of the districts of Ouzounkuipru and
Dimotica. The crops from American seed are in
forward state, and there is every reason to hope
that they will give good returns. The reports
from most parts of the districts in Thrace
and Bulgaria represent the crops from Egyptian
coed to be by no means encouraging, and the
generality of growers are of opinion that this
exotic cannot be successfully naturalised in this
part of European Turkey. A largo supply of Ame-
rican seed for distribution in Adrianople, Ouzoun-
kuipru, and Dimotica, is earnestly recommended.
The return from the Pashalik of Aleppo, Adana, and
Marasle states that 310,00 G acres were planted with
cotton in 1863, and 745,000 acres in 1864—that but
a very small quantity of American seed has been
sown this year, and the produce, which was 212,500
cwt in 1863, is expected to be 215,000 cwt in 1864.
The crop is sent to Mersyna and Alexandretta. The
cultivation of sesame seed, castor oil plant, and rice
has been entirely abandoned for that of cotton. In
the Pashalik of Adana a species of worm resembling
a small silkworm has done considerable damage to
the cotton plants, and destroyed, it is calculated,
about two-thirds of the pods ; so that, though more
than double the area has been sown, the produce
will not be much greater than last year's. In the
pashaliks of Aleppo and Marasle the crops ere very
promising. The insecurity occasioned by the inroads
of the wandering tribes, bath Bedaweens and Tar-
omens, to whom large sums have to be paid, as
blackmail, is a serious obstacle to the extension of
cotton cultivation. Large tracts of fine arable land
ail along the banks of the Euphrates, easily irrigae
ble, and still bearing traces of ancient cultivation,
are now lying waste. From the island of Curia it
is reported that the land available for cotton is of
small extent, and the produce, always insignificant,
has rather diminished than increased. No cotton is
exported; it is solely cultivated for home consump-
tion, and is not likely to extend during the feverish
excitement of political changes, and whilst many in-
tricate questions, affecting the relative position of
landlord and tenant, remain to be determined by
legislative enactment. In the island of Cephalonia
there are no materials for forming a reliable esti-
mate of the extent of land planted with cotton,
which is only cultivated for home consumption.
In the island of Z ante, the soil being unsuitable
for cotton, bat little was grown until within the last
three years, during which it has somewhat increased;
the produce last year was 12,0001b5, and t'is year
is expected to be 40,0001b5. The return from Ceara
(Brezils) states that uo reliable eetimate can be
formed of the extent of cotton cultivation in that
province, but the annual shipments from 1845 up to
last year show a considerable increase ; the want of
population is the great drawback. It is eke iraated
that 4,480,0001bs will be exported this year. In the
province of Alagoas (Brazils) the area planted with
cotton in 1863 was about 00 square leagues:, and the
increase this year is ten per cent. The produce,
which in the former year was 49,609 bales, or
310,056 arrobas of 321 b each, is expected to be
doubled this year. Up to the end of August, 43,614
bales, or 224,984 arrobas of 321 b each, had been
exported. In the province of Bahia no materials
exist for forming an accurate estimatelof the extent
of land planted with cotton, which is, however,
small; very if any, foreign teed has I.,eeli used

At the weekly meeting of the Relief Committee
held at Crooked-lane on Monday night there was a
further increase in the number of cases relieved.
It appears from the report presented that the nun•
ber of cases was 2,413, comprising 8,983 persons,
why had been relieved at a cost of £251 7s 2d, being
an increase of 113 cases, 348 persons, and £ll 15s 2d
in cost. The chief constable's report shows that there
were 8,973 operatives working six days per week,
1,345 five days, 1,322 four days, 4,599 three days, 43
two days, and 11,139 totally unemployed. The num-
ber of mills totally closed was 27, and the loss of
wages for the week £9,833 6s. Owing to the pre.
valence of scarlet fever and other sickness, tjae,Re.
lief Committee ordered their visitors to report as to
the-extent to which this prevailed, also the condi•
tion of the dwcilinghouseAnd pren6es in the dis-
tricts affected. The result of these inquiries showed
that during the past fortnight there had been 192
cases of scarlet fever, 41 of which had proved fatal,
The sanitary condition of the worst part of the
town was in many instances very bad, open cess-
pools and other nuisances being enumerated. The
committee referred these reports to the local Board
of Health, who promptly instructed their inspector
to see that the evils complained of were at onto
remedied.

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