The Sun.
London, England, 1864-09-01 00:00:00

Cotton Supply Association.

At the usual weekly meeting of the Executive
Committee, held on Tuesday. a letter was read from
Tortola, West Indies, stating that the writer had
just opened another cotton plantation, where he is
trying experiments with different varieties of seed,
and reporting that the cultivation is making satis•
factory progress in those islands. Extracts were
read from a despatch adiressed to Earl Russell by
her Majesty's Charge d'Affaires at St Petersburg, re-
specting the amount of cotton exported from
Bokhara to Russia during the last few years.
In 1859 the exportation amounted to 1,562,040ib.,
of the value of L 25,652 ; in 1860 it had in-
creased to 6,722,8001 b., in value £103,350—, but this
year it is represented, on good authority, that the
amount of cotton expected from Bokhara is
20,000,0001 b., of the value of £l,6so,ooo—that is
to say, equal in value to the entire export trade from
Bokhara to Russia for a period of ten years, from
1849 to 18,59 inclusive. A letter was received from
the Indian office requesting a further supply of Peru-
visa seed for the Government in Bombay, for ex-
perimental cultivation in Scinde and other districts
of that Presidency. A❑ app►ication for seeds for
emigrants intending to enter upon the cultivation
of cotton in Queensland, near to Ipswich or Mary-
borough, was granted. Consular despatches for-
warded by the Foreign office were received from
Fiji, Rio de Janeiro, Tripoli, Algiers, Bosna Serai,
Trebizond, Adrianople, Dardeneiles, Gallipoli, and
Janina, reporting on 'the cultivation of cotton in
those districts. In Fiji the return shows the total
area planted with cotton to be from 300 to 350
acres, and the expected yield to be from 170 to 200
tons of cotton in the seed. The greater part of this
land was planted in the latter part of 1863 or early
in 1864 ; only one plantation is now in the third
year, which it is anticipated will produce 2,0001 b.
of seed cotton per acre. From Rio de Janeiro the
Consul reports that the exportation of cotton from
the several provinces of Brazil in the financial year
of 1852-3, was 14,255 tons, of the value of £5'13,112
6a 10d. In the financial year 1862-3 the quantity
exported was 15,508 tons, in value £1,892,003
8s 2d. In the nine months of the present financial
year, from July 1, 1863, to March 31, 1864, the
quantity exported is 11,263 tons of the value of
£1,924,280 13s 6d. The planters, although they
are suffering greatly from the want of roads,
are fully alive to their own interests, the culture
of cotton has increased and spread, and there is
little fear of its diminishing. In Tripoli the
efforts hitherto made have failed of success; the
want of capital, water, and population seems to
hold out no prospect of any other result. From
Algeria the returns show that the produce of 1863
was 879,8001 b of clean cotton, and that from two to
three times that quantity may be expected this
year, the greater part of which is sent to Havre or
Marseilles. The Government is making strenuous
efforts to increase the cultivation of cotton by the
offer of premiums and otherwise, and the soil and
climate are well suited to its growth; but the heavy
charges of transport, and the uncertainty as to the
continuance of present primal make the colonists
afraid to venture into great speculations. Prom
Trebizond the Consul reports that the indifferent
result of the insignificaht trials made in 1863, and
the presence of 100,000 Circassians, emigrants,
ravaging the most productive spots, deterred the
farmers front making a fresh trial to grow cotton
in the present year. Front the district of the Dar•
danelles the returns show that 2,800 acres were
planted in 1803, and 14,000 acres in 1864. The
crops have been favoured with propitious weather,
and the yield is expected to be above the average.
The cultivation of Egyptian cotton has been almost
entirely abandoned, as the climate is not suited to
it. The New Orleans seed procured from Serres has
been sown by some influential cultivators ; the crop
bears a fine appearance, and is watched with great
interest by the natives. One-fourth of the produce
is shipped direct to England, one-half to France,
and the remainder to Smyrna. In the Vice-Consu-
lar district of Adrianople, the report shows that
3,610 acres were planted in 1863, and 7,100 acres
in 1864; that the produce in the former year was
about 410,0001 b, and that in the latter about
700,0001 b to 800,0001 b of cotton may be expected.
The crops are looking well, and promise a good
yield. The growers generally prefer the American
to the Egyptian seed, as it reaches maturity earlier
by about four weeks, and gives better returns. The
production of cotton in this district is susceptible
of great increase. In the district of Enos
from 50,000 to 80,000 acres were planted in
1863, and a much greater area this year. Hitherto
the produce has barely sufficed for the consumption
of the district. In the district of Rodosto the crops
look well, and a considerable increase in cotton cul-
tivation will take place if prices are maintained ;
the produce goes to Marseilles and Constantinople.
The previous failure of exotic seed hes prevented its
use this year. From Gallipoli the Vice-Consul re-
ports that 3,000 acres were planted in 1863, and
5,000 acres in 1864; that the produce of the former
year was 8,800 cwt., and that 15,000 owl, is ex•