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

COTTON SUPPLY ASSOCIATION+

At the lintel weeltlY 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 benison, and he states that
his experiesent has succeeded wall. 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 ie terearkab4, good, and Veined
at 2s 8d per lb. A. letter was received from Queensland,
describing the excessive rains and conmauent flooda, 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 el cotton in Queensland. The writer forwards a small
sample grown under peculiar circumstances from aotne Seeds
which had fallen with rubbish hpoti robgh ground, the plants
from which were afterwards transferred to the garden. He
has now some sues planted with cotton about
Brisbane, on South Pine River, and the tact that the plants
are producing the second Year teems to indicate that they
are perennial, The sample. though too ertall for an accurateestimate, was Veined at 2s 10d to n 15 miles from
-,' per lb. Another sample
of Sea Island cotton from Queensland was valued at 3s 9d
to 4s per lb. The letter accompanying
been grown by some emigrants on their own farm at the
Junction Pena, Ips*ich, froth seed granted to them by the
association in March, 1863, and that they entered upon their
land in the following August. A
-e letter from Buenos Ayres
reports, as the result Of actual 1 e i
-11,9pection, that this ear4a
bales will be obtained from that °mint
cotton crop in Paraguay will probably produce 3,000 bales,
it states that it has
an' there is every reason to expect that next year 100,000
states that the crop this
pondent at Buenos Ayres, referring to the efforts which the
pected to amount to 4,000 arobas. A sample
President of the Republit of Paraenak
ry; Another Correa.
is making to extend
Seal is et-
the growth Of nOtton,
Huy-
mayta, Paraguay, has been forwarded for inspection. Im-
mense progress has been Mad() lathe proiinces Of Mendosa,
grown in
Entre Rios, and Catamarca!, as also in Cordova, but parti-
cularly in Catamarca, which promises to be the best in the
Republic. The Minikter 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 effut ts
should bo spared to insure success, The severe drought of
the past season has done some harm, but not 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 of
growing cotton, and that a
considerable quantity will be produced next season. A letter
from St. Thomas, West Indies, represents that cotton pro-
mises to be more remunetative that sugar under existing
circumstances, and that teeny parties are entering into the
cultivation. 1 ''. here are extensive tracts of land in the fertile
lelan,', 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 Government which if accepted as he ex-
pects, will authorise him to grant land for growing
cotton at the low rate of 10 reis (one halfpenny) per
hectare, and to proeide 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 dray 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 planting cotton on a small scale, who
will extend their operations should their present experi-
ments prove satisfactory. 'l' he great uncertainty of labour
has hitherto been the princtipal hindrance, and makes it
doubtful whether the cultiv.Ation of cotton can be depended

upon for the future. The new cotton company have about
7GO acres planted, and in different directions in small patches
there are about 500 acres mote. 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,
Piraaus, 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 Nosoata, Fiji, states
that arrangements are in progress by the writer for ship-
ping about 20 tons of cotton to the association, although
his premises, w,th 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.