, 1908-01-11
pr OCE D N GS
(OL0NJ COUNCIL
FOR ST. CROIx
(Contintted from AUis No. 81


The Chairman said with regard to this
Draft, he was perfectly without knowledge
Of the matter in question, the "Cotton Leaf
Blister Mite; in his opinion, the question is
of very great importance to the cotton grow
ers; and hence to the Island at large; he
supposed that the Draft would be referred
to a Committee, which rests with the Coun-
Gil.
LIST Member for Christiansted's Country
District (Schneiegeloao) begged on his own
behalf and on that of the co-proponent to-
introduce this Draft. He said he was sorry
it had fallen to him to deal with this matter
ard introduce it in the Council :. it is not
very long since his attention, as representing
one Of the most extensive cotton growers
here, became aware of the blister leaf mite
OH cotton leaves those who don't know the
mite, are not aware of the danger to which
cotton is exposed it is, indeed, such a pub
lie calamity, that we are bound in time to
take steps to stop the evil. The Danish
Plantation Company had therefore got an
expert on cotton to come here, in order to
arrive at some just and true knowledge of
the pest, and its appearances as we'll as the
means against a spread of it, and for the
purpose OF helping all cottongrowers, with
out expense to themselves but few came to
hear from Mr.. Thornton, the expert, of the
appearances of the mite and the means of
counteracting it, although we all know
the truth Of the old proverb, "Prevention
is better than Cure" Now, if planters had
followed up the rules; which elsewhere have
proved efficacious, the evil might have been
stopped before it reached the stand it has
taken now, threatening us with destruction
of an industry which has just been common
ced, one which has yielded profitable re-
turns already and promised to be a source of
prosperity to the Island generally. Now, it
has come to this that most men, particularly
those engaged in the cotton cultivation, see
and feel that something or other has to be
done to protect and save what we have and
prevent future destruction. He and the
other Member have joined in proposing this
Draft for measures against the Mite DESTROY
ing the ISLAND Cotton we must bear in mind
that it is necessary to take as effective steps
as possible to prevent the spread and to put
down the destruction caused by the mite:
difference of opinion might exist as to what
is necessary, and some might think that
what we here propose is too stringent, others
that the measures will not be effective but
he did not believe that there would be one
individual who would be so blind to his own
interest and SO callous for the interest of
the Island as to say we require no measures
at all. 1t is true that there are some who,
by allowing the old cotton plants to remain
on the ground for months and months, con-
trary to the experiences and teachings from
the British Islands, have materially .coDtri-
buted to the evil now threatening them and
all else but this is just one of the consider
atoms that must lead us to provide striu-
gent and coercive measures when REFRESHING
the evil. One of the greatest drawbacks
experienced here, is this, that there is never
any unanimity among planters, or if any,
then it lasts only for a time, but he earnestly
trusted that all planters will now put their
shoulders to the wheel and adopt the mea-
rres, or If necessary, other suitable measures,
-ert the threatening danger now before us.
zen no plague besets the cotton plaintiff
should as a rule be dug up after the one crop
and buried, but this is indispensably neces-
sary when insects and vermin show them