The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-02
CorroN onoNrNo EXPERIMENTS.
An Exhibition q Results Obtained IN
British Colonies.


LONDON, June 23.-At the Imperial Instl-
tute there Is an exhibition just now whose
purpose Is TO show the results obtained so
far In the experiments In growing cotton
which are in progress in various parts OF
the British Empire.
1t does not appear that very great prac-
teal advance has been made yet, but,
as Prof. Wyndham Dunstan explains,
several years Of careful experiment must
elapse before a country new to cotton
cultivation can become a successful and
permanent contributor to the supply OF
the raw material. Broadly speaking, the
exhibition indicates that the experiments
for the revival OF cotton cultivation in the
West Indies give promise of success, while
some advance appears to have been made
in various other directions.
The most valuable OF all commercial
cottons. the sea island product, which
derived its name from the West Indies
but was allowed to die out when 1t was
introduced into the United States, may be
expected to become feature in reviving
the dropping fortunes OF the Caribbean
islands. and in India the chief problem ia
the cultivation Of finer staple suitable 70
the needs Of the manufacturer.
In the course Of time 1t IL expected that
India will become the principal contributor
Of raw cotton to Great Britain, although
at present 1t IL outclassed, in quality at
least, by the Egyptian product. The ex-
periments carried on in the Sudan suggest
that it will soon take important rank as
producer. Egyptian cotton presents GER
tain features which render 1t more valuable
to the manufacturer than the ordinary
product of the Southern States.
In West and East Africa the conditions Of
successful cotton cultivation are being
asoertained by carefully planned expert
ments which are necessarily slow. but, az
in other parts Of the empire, the recent
tests show that cotton Of the Egyptian
type will probably be successfully grown
on large scale in several localities.
Placed conveniently in one large frame
are the products Of the cotton plant from
all the countries where 1t is being laid down.
the older established countries are also
represented, even Peru, but the Argentine
representative is notable absentee. though
neighboring map shows that the COM
modify is already being produced in that
republic.
In the frame can be seen at glance what
is wanted. 1t is the long fiber. the fine
silky lint; and here we see the great adj
vantage possessed by United States sea
island and the Egyptian. They lead their
rivals distinctly. The SEA island specimens
average two inches in length, the Egyptian
~, while the others range between n inch
and ~ inches.
One of the most instructive object lessons
Of the whole exhibition Is that of the use OF
the waste materials discarded during the
process Of manufacturing the cotton.
Samples of waste are shown from the
scutching machines, carding engines. spin
ming machines rowing frames. looms and
the like, and there are even dirty looking
floor sweepings. The last are used for
spinning cross yarns. The cleaner machine
waste il used for blending and spinning
with wool in the manufacture of artificial
silk. The other specimens of waste are
used in the manufacture OF wadding, Of
paper, Of explosives and for various other