, 1912-04-13

DIN R1Omu AC10 vas 49,
essential to the fine cotton spinners (hear,
hear(.and was no doubt on the whole the
STRONGEST Of the fine cotton that was offered
from anyhere. (Cheersl, The ~onsumptlon
of cotton was increasing with the advance OF
ciyiliz ltion, and the increase OF the worlds
population. The speaker compRret the mil
lions of bales of coarse cotton grown with
the comparatively small number OF bales OF
the fine type grown in Georgia, South Caro-
lima and the West Indies, and stated that
the tendency of millers and splnners was to-
wards the fine type. 1t would, therefore,, be
a serious matter to them if the Barbados
crop permanently decreased, as they would
have to look about for other countries to
grow cotton. 1t seemed to hum that they had
been trying too much at er n good fibre and
leaving alone the matter of good trees. From
observations made by him III the State OF
Mississippi, he should say the first thing to be
looked after was the selection Of proper trees
and seed. Secondly, they should see If they
could not get an indigenous type OF cotton or
q type of cotton which had become habituat-
ed. The West Indies were indeed fortunate
and were unique liz the experience of the
world that they got cotton from another coun-
try to grow 80 well. Having settled those two
matters, they could then consider hybridisa-
tion aud the introduction of other types OF
cotton. He promised that the British Cot
ton Growing Association and the Fine Cot
ton SDinners' Association would cooperate,
if asked, TO a larger extent than hitherto III
the Investigations and experiments made
with cotton out here, because the interests
of The spinners and growers were identical
up TO the point OF p1 ces. lie was much
obliged for the hearing given HIM. Cloud
cheers
Mr.. Marsland, at the invitation of the
Chairman, addressed the meeting. he was,
he said, really q representative OF the WORK
ers in the cotton mills OF Lancashire, and
how he came 10 be q representative OF the
British Cotton Growing Association, was
because of the importance of cotton growing
to the workers in Lancashire. Some years
AGO the workers IN the Lancashire cotton
mills we're on the point of starvation, because
of the partial failure of the American cotton
crop in three successive years ana me EN-
plovers and the operatives subscribed large
sums of money to encourage cotton growing
in d,fferept parts Of the Empire. This was
the origin of the Cotton Growing ASs'cla-
ton. He came out here to learn something
about cotton. He had seen successful helds
of cotton and unsuccessful feIds; he had
talked to persons who were confident and
hopeful of the industry, and he had spoken
70 others who were respondent and shook
their heads very nearly half way round when
cotton growing was mentioned. There was,
however, one thing in which he noticed unI-
formitv. and that was the way Ill which they
treated strangers. The kindness and good
will with which he had been met everywhere
would always remain in his mind. There
was another thing which he was glad to see.
1t was the rivalry-the friendly rivalry
which existed between the people of these
islands,; and this rivalry was sure to bring
about the best results. After visiting the
cotton fields aud seeing the insects and the
designations on the leaves, he appreciated
the difficulties of the cotton planter. There
was an exaggerated idea in these islands that
the British Cotton Growing Association con
trolled the prices of cotton. That was NOT
so. That would always be a matter OF com
mtrcial speculation Cotton growers must
remember that they were entering INTO q
commercial undertaking, and the BRUSH
Cotton Growing Association could not always
tell them what price they were gong to get
for their cotton. He felt sure the British
Cotton Growing Association would do all
thew could to ensure the planters getting
remuneration for their trouble and