The Sun.
London, England, 1866-03-02 00:00:00

Cotton Supply Association.

At the usual meeting of the executive committee, on
Tuesday, the following extract was read from a despatch
received from Lieutenant-Governor Glover, dated Govern-
ment House, Lagos, January 8, 1866, and which was for-
warded by the Foreign Office and 'the Colonial Office :
L" Cotton in Lagos is most plentiful, and, as I am informed,
almost exceeds the present means of buying it ; and as it
is supplied from a new source, namely, Zebu and Ibadan,
this fact is worthy of note."—A despatch, also forwarded
by the Foreign Office, was received from her Majesty's
Consul-general at Belgrade, containing a report on the
cultivation of cotton in Servia and Bulgaria, and accom-
panied by a sample of cotton grown at Widdin. Mithad
Pasha, the governor of the. Vilayet of the Danube, states
that the American seed sent out-by the Association last
year, for experiments in various parts of the province,
was distributed in different lots, and sown in localities pre-
senting, from atmospheric peculiarities, the best chances
of success, which, however, has been only partial in
one or two instances. In Servia but little attention is
given to agriculture, and there the experiments have
almost entirely failed. In Bulgaria, although the climate
is precarious, and the autumnal rains, accompanied by
sudden chills, are favourable to a cotton crop, better
results were obtained, and it is thought that in some dis-
tricts more sheltered than the rest a certain quantity
might be produced. An experiment made at Widdin has
answered best, and specimens of some finely-developed
pods have been received. Carefully-selected portions of
the seed of the last crop will be re-sown this year, and it
is hoped that better results will be obtained. A letter
was received from the British Vice Consulate, at Latakia,
stating that much progress has been made in cotton culti-
vation, that a large extent of land will be ready for the
April and May sowing, and requesting a supply of New
Orleans seed, which it was determined to send. A letter
was read from the Turkish Ambassador, expressing satis-
faction that a large quantity of American seed had been
obtained by the Association for the Imperial Government,
and enclosing a draft for £2,343 ls. 7d. in part payment.—
A letter received from Scutari describes the difficulties
which the writer has bad to overcome in promotin; the
cultivation of cotton in that district. Although numerous
small experiments have succeeded admirably, the people
are afraid to enter largely into this branch of industry
The writer had procured 2,500 okes of seed, and the Pasha
is expecting an experienced cultivator from Salonica to
instruct and superintend. It is therefore hoped that a
commencement in earnest will be made this spring. There
is a large extent of uncultivated land, which is admirably
suited to the growth of cotton.—A letter received from
Naples describes the difficulty experienced from the want
of hands to secure the crops as they ripen. The vintage
coming on at the same time as the cotton arrives at matu-
rity, say in September and October, it is found to be a
serious inconvenience to be engaged with crops on a large
scale at the same moment, owing to the scarcity of labourers
and the groat demo d for them at that particular period.
Double wages can then be obtained, but the supply is in-
sufficient, and an assiduous cultivator is often doomed to
see his cotton or his grapes injured from this cause. On
this account it is said that small cotton plantations answer
better than large ones. No effort will be spared by the
writer and his friends to produce a first-rate quality of Sea
Island cotton.--A letter received from Berdiansk, Russia,
reports that a farmer in that district, who was supplied
with a small quantity of cotton seed last year, had sown"
it with success, and was now desirous to obtain a further
supply for an extended experiment next spring. It w,s
resolved to send seed for this purpose.—A letter was read
from Athens, stating that the writer, having been suc-
cessful in his efforts to grow cotton, was desirous to
extend his operations, and to procure a quantity of New
Orleans seed, which it was agreed to supply.—Copies of
letters forwarded by the India Office Were received from
the Government of India, describing the state and pros-
pects of the cotton crop in Bengal in 1865-6 as compared
with 1864-5, together with a report on cotton cultivation
in the Punjab during the season 1865-6. The returns
obtained in Bengal are represented by the commissioner to
bo of but little value, as the zemindars, the only persons
,from whom any information can be derived, are either them-
selves totally ignorant of the matter, or are interested in
making returns calculated rather to mislead than to instruct.
In the Punjab tho total area under cotton is given at 625,035
acres in 1865-6, against 872,851 acres tho previous year, and
726,034 maunds the year before. A letter was read from
the inspector of cotton in Scinde, enclosing a sample grown
at Kurrachee from Peruvian seed, and stating that fully
500 acres will be planted this year with exotic seed, and
that the entire area sown with cotton this coming season
in Scinde will not be less than 130,000 acres, which will
yield a crop of about 30,000 bales of 8701 b. each, indepen-
dent of the Punjab', which may be expected to produce
5C0,000 bales. At present the cotton is coming down from
up-country to Kurrachee in very large quantities, and it
would not occasion surprise if 70,000 bales were shipped
thence to foreign ports this year. There are three steam
presses at work, and a fourth was expected to beready early
in February. The receipt of a quantity of Egyptian and
otherexotic seed sent by the association was acknowledged,
and is now in course of distribution. A communication,
forwarded from Calcutta by the honorary agents of the
association, reports that owing to an unusual rise in the
Irrawaddy river some experimental cotton plantations had
boen inundated and the plants destroyed. Other experi-
ments in localities less exposed to inundations are contem-
plated,it is hoped, will be attended with better re-
sults. wAhliect 4ter, received from Madras, reports that the ad-
dress of the association to cotton growers has been trans-
lated and inserted in the vernacular newspapers. Copies
have been forwarded for insertion in the several district
gazettes, and, thus appearing in an official organ, it will
carry weight among the ignorant ryots, and become exten-
sively known. It has also been sent to the residents of
Travancore and Hyderabad, and the Commissioner of My-
sore, who will promote its distribution in their several pro-
vinces. There was no other business of public interest.

COURSE OF EXCHANGE—This Evening.

Amsterdam short. 11 18 11 19
Ditto 3 Months. 12 2 12 2i

Rotterdam

12 2

12
..2i

Antwerp
A --- 28 521 25 60
Brussr.:l6 - 25 55 25 621
Hamburg
Paris Short 25 221 25 30
Ditto • 3 Months. 25 50 25 55
Marseilles
Frankfort on the Maine 121 1211
Viennak.
10 60 10 5
Trieste — 10 60 10 65
Petersburgh - 291 29}
Berlin
Madrid . — 461 . 46f
Cadiz
i .
05 . 6i2

25 trii
25 767 i

Leghorn
Milan , — 25 024
Genoa — 25 621 25 70
Naplo4 MI, 000000 ,•..t. O ---..
25 Pi 25 70