, 1910-01-12

DGGu COIlSOIOO W pOAHO ONA NO'O- - S"O
month Of June, or even later. This con-
sideration alone appears to US to be pretty
nearly conclusive against the
ton of d close month.
There is no doubt much to be said on the
other side, and our attention has been called
TO the remarks of Sir Daniel Morris on this
head at the Cotton Growing Conference held
in Manchester last August. Sir Daniel re-
marked
"a good deal has been said about diseases
and about the adverse conditions obtaining
in different portions of the West Inlie8. |
am in a position to say that if planters were
to follow more closely the advice given
them by the Department Of Agriculture
there would be a great deal less disease.
We have tried over and over again TO 1n-
luce planters to agree to q close season to
take out the cid cotton AMI to have none of
it on the land when the young crop is grow
ing. I have, unfortunately, seen whole
fields of cotton covered with disease side by
side with fields Of young cotton. No industry
can prosper under s jch conditions. In the
United States, the Sea Island cotton has
always been treated as IN annual crop, and
we should follow their example. l know
there are difficulties in tha way, but there
is no doubt that many OF the diseases re-
ferred to could be kept in hand if the cot
ton planters were to work together a. they
have done in Montserrat. | am afraid the
diseases are accommodating in some localities
and they will continue to accumulate unless
common action is taken to deal with them"
Among the romarks On this from others
present was the followin8,to which Sir Daniel
replied as quoted below.
"Mr. O'NBAL: Are they not forced to have
. close season in America owing to frostsH
l fancy all the cotton is out of the ground
by the middle of November to avoid the
fro8ts. Until we can get to know some
thing more definite as to the right time to
plant, | fail to see how we can have legls-
lation as to a close time.
SIR DANIEL Morris; In Barbados the
planting season is from July to September.
= ~ p4snU ovUev4 Ol4~n, IL nhonld be out
of the ground by the following June. That
IL what we are all trying to do. 1 don't
think there is much doubt in Barbados rs to
the season when to plant. We are practi-
cally agreed on that point"
Sir Daniels words, owe have tried
over and over again to induce planters
seem to indicate that it was a voluntary
agreement among the planters which he
sought, though from the reference to
"legislation" in the remarks by Mr.O'Neal, it
would appear that '1egislation"ha had also been
talked of. 1t would be interesting to have parti-
culars as to what it is that SirDanieI refers to
rs having been done in Montserrat. With
out further information we should doubt
whether any law on the matter has been
passed there. Montserrat being a very
small island. it would probably be easier
there than here ~even,and certainly easier than
in Barbados, to come to q mutual agreement.
This does not seem likely in ST. Cloix, and
without something approaching thereto it will
neither be desirable nor possible to have the
matter carried through.
The other point, which, apparently with
out separate discussion, was included in the
resolution at Lower Love, was that the ex-'
listing Ordinance for combating cotton dis
eases should be abrogated. That is quite
another question. The Colonial Council
could hardly be expected to abro3ate an
ordinance passed SO short a time ago as last
April, unless indeed there was the most press.
ing necessity for sucL a step. But is there
such a pressing necessity ? The provisions
OF the ordinance may not have accomplished
all that was hoped from the it is true, but
they may have accomplished something, and
unless 1t can be shown that they have done