The Sun.
London, England, 1864-03-24 00:00:00

COTTON SUPPLY ASSOCIATION,

At the usual weekly meeting of the executive
committee, held on Tuesday, March 22, a letter w►ns
read from the Brisbane River, Queensland, stating
that the writer had lost no time in planting the
seed which was granted to him by the association
on leaving England last year. A commencement
was made early in October with Sea Island seed,
and the work of planting waa continued as long as
the advanced season would allow. The plants ap-
pearid in flower early in January, and promised
to afford satisfactory results. A letter was re-
ceived from Governor Hampton, Western Aus-
tralia, acknowledging the receipt of a large
Macarthy gin, placed at his disposal by the
association, and which he had consigned to the
most enterprising and successful cultivator of cotton
in Western Australia, with instructions that it
should be lent to other cotton growers who may re-
quire its services. A letter was read from her
Mrjesty'e Coney' at Jess., forwarding a sample of
cotton grown in the neighbourhood of Jassy. Al-
though no care had been bestowed upon the culti-
vation, and the ground had been in no way pre-
pared, the cotton is, nevertheless, of a good, usetul
description. A quantity of Egyptian seed, sent
through the Embassy, has been distributed to dif-
ferent proprietors, and will be tried this spring.
Owing to scarcity of labour end want of communi-
cation it is doubzful whether cotton can be grown
at a profit, except during the prevalence of very
high prices. The results of further experiments
which are in progress will be communicated. A de-
spatch was received from the Government of Ma-
dras forwarded by the India-dike, reportirg the
result of the cultivation of Egyptian and Peruvian
cotton in the district of Malabar, and accompanied
with five samples of the cotton which had been
grown. The collector of Malabar entertains no
doubt that Egyptian cotton will thrive well in
many parts of that district. The native growers
in must Taleoke appreciato the importance of its
cultivation, and it is highly desirable to perse-
vere in distributing seed as extensively as pos-
sible in small quantities to each recipient. As
they raise a few plants they find promise of re-
turn. and extend their number, and in a few years
the aggregate result becomes important. With the
exception of parts of Palghat and Wynad, it is not
expected that Malabar will extensively produce
cotton for foreign consumption. The locality which
promises to grow the best cotton in Malabar is the
Cherakel Talook, the Ponotn lands of which are
very well adapted to it. The proper time for sow-
ing is August or September, and it is expedient
that supplies of seed should be furnished in June or
July next, in order that planters as well as natives
may have an opportunity of giving it a fair trial.
A letter was read from the Foreign-office,
stating that a copy of the memorial from the asso-
ciation on.the subject of the forced labour employed
at the Suez Canal, as affecting the production of
cotton in Egypt, has been transmitted to her Ma-
jesty's agent and Consul-General in Egypt, with
instructions to urge the matter on the attention of
the Viceroy. The deputation reported that Earl
Russell had received them with great courtesy, and
assured them that he was fully aware of the evil
results pointed out, and had been already in
communication with the Egyptian Government
on the question. A letter was read from the
secretary of the Royal Italian Commission,
stating that the visits of the president of the
association to the Exhibition of Turin had afforded
much gratification and encouragement, and convey-
ing the unanimous thanks of the commission to the
association for its sympathy and help. Samples of
Peruvian cotton ginned in Lima by an American
cleaning machine were forwarded for examination,
and also samples of cotton grown on the north-
west coast of Mexico, near Mazatlan, valued at
251 d. per lb. Grants of seed were made for Sicily
and Greece.