EMPIRE COTTON-GROWING

Northern Advocate, 18 February 1926, Page 3

EMPIRE COTTON-GROWING

A IST INDUSTRY FOR NORTH ' AUCKLAND. (By Heriot Cheyne.) 11. In taking a cursory glance at the present-day “AH British' ’ spirit which is stimulating the Empire to direct its jpteut energies and enterprise to produce within its own ample borders the raw materials required by the mills and workshops of the Homo and Dominion manufacturing industries, we have singled out cot-ton-growing as one, out of the many, which can bo introduced in Lhc North of New Zealand, with the promise of satisfactory results. In this connection I wish to fasten attention on the one pre-eminent variety which would be the best selection to introduce and the cultivation of which would give the most encouraging returns —the famed Sea Island plant.

Before demonstrating the superior claims of the Sea Island over all other tested kinds, and before proceeding to explain its nature and the necessary requirements in the process of productive cultivation, .we must fell quite satisfied in our own minds that cotton growing is not a hobby pursuit, but is an industry which has come down with the ages, and is one of the most important and needful at the present day throughout the wide world, a position that expands with the growth of population. CottoM is universally used for the clothing of the people of all nations, rich and poor. It is the only fibre Nature bestows ready for the immediate work of the factory; and there is no limit to its production and consumption. In fact, it can be asserted that the consumption of cotton is increasing in greater ratio than its production. This creates the danger of grave eventualities, such as, amongst others, of serious 'shortage in the supplies of raw material to British mills. Having regard to the possibilities of such danger to Home textile industries and in view of the i strong Empire spirit referred to, the British Cotton Growing Association of Manchester is always prepared to encourage the growth of the fibre within the Empire by free supplies of fresh seed, information, and other means. The long-staple Sea Island cotton is admittedly the finest and most valuable in the world. It derives its dis inctive name from being grown on a few sandy islands off the coast of South Carolina and Georgia. It is also grown on lowlands near the sea in those states, as well as in Florida and West Indies.

Of late years the United States Government has prohibited the export of Sea Island seed, wishing to husband to itself the supply of that highpriced product. But, as it has been grown for many long years with success and purity in the British West Indies, the Manchester Association is never at a loss for a stock of the best seed. As a matter of fact, it was originally a native of the West Indies, where now its standard of excellence has been reached by systmatic selection and careful cultivation.

The fibre of the Sea Island is very long, varying from to 2£ inches in length. The lint is of a delicate creamy brown colour, but somewhat less brown than the Egyptian product, which is allied to it by being crossed with Sea Island. It is very fine, strong and silky, with a comparatively regular twist such as is required for thread, lace-making and very fine counts of yarns. * In manufactures needing a very strong fibre, such as sailcloth, mail bags, linings of bicycle tyres, motor vehicle tyres and aeroplanes, etc.,' this cotton is always much in demand. On account of the length, quality and strength of this fibre it is adapted to uses to which the other varieties are not so well suited. As’ the demand for finer and better fibre increases there must be a corresponding greater demand for long staples; and the production of Sea Island cotton can be undertaken without apprehension that its high market value will not always be maintained. The best soils for the Sea Island, as proved by the character of the land in the islands off South Carolina, are a light red sandy loam with a clay sub-soil, or well drained; a yellow or black sand; or a yellow clay of fine texture, deepening in colour from yellow to red. In vast areas on the sea border of Australia there are soils of the above description, admirably adapted to the extensive cultivation of the Sea Island. A soil of sandy loam underlaid by a soil heavier or more clayey .in composition will prevent the too rapid escape of water and fertilising agents. A soil of medium character with adequate humus also allows heat and air to reach the roots more readily than dense clays. Sea Island does not require a, heavy rainfall. Seed planting should be at a season which will ensure fully two months of light rains during the stage of vegetative growth, after that, the young plants want nothing but the warm sun up to the period of maturity of the bolls. Sea Island cannot be grown with success inland beyond the ozonic influence of the sea air, without which it will be liable to deterioration. Therefore, the one other esaention condition Sea Island demands is sunshine, and that should be borne in mind when selecting the site for a plantation. North Auckland seems to offer these conditions, in addition to its freedom from serious frosts. In the cotton-growing states of Anie- j rica, Upland is the universal type cul- j tivated; but it is a short-stapled, low-[

grade fibre, of small market price compared with the Sea Island. Upland grows like a short stalk and is an annual, which means fresh ploughing and seed sowing yearly. •It is machine harvested wholesale, in a manner requiring much time for cleaning before being ginned. Sea Island, on ,the other hand, attains the size and height of a bosky plant, like a thriving currant bush, and has a life of several years. The crop is quickly gathered by hand, clean, and free of foreign trash, and ready *at once for seed stripping at the ginnery. It has also other advantages which will be described. Whore good Sea Island cotton can bo grown it would be bad judgment and wasted endeavour on our part to devote attention to the Upland varieties; but the former requires more careful intense cultivation. than is the case with the latter.

In the vast spaces of inland Austra lia, Uplands could be grown extensively where soils and conditions were suitable, or in the great irrigated areas where there would be ample sunshine. The huge scheme in the Ppper Sudan gives eloquent testimony of what British enterprise can accomplish for the Empire.

Cultivation entails no hardship when care is observed to bring tho land into good .tilth with deep ploughing and harrowing and quite free from weeds. The field should be ploughed to a depth of five or six inches, with cross ploughing and borrowings to remove the soil from virgin tenacity. Two ploughings at a reasonable interval would improve tho receptive conditions of the soil. After thorough harrowing, drills for sowing would be better if running north and south, in order to permit the light of the sun to strike through all the rows of the young growing plants.

American Upland has seed covered with adhering short lint and is white in appearance. Sea Island, on the contrary, like the Egyptian, gives a clean, black seed; therefore, with careful handling the product can bo put on the market in a perfectly clean condition, quality and cleanliness being of primary importance. Like our wools, quantity is a minor consideration with high-grade cotton. When quality deteriorates the raw material simply falls into line and competition with inferior grades, of which there is abundant supply.

The use of good seed, and its production by systematic selection, is a factor of major importance in the successful and profitable cultivation of high-grade staples. No intelligent planter will disregard the value and productivity of good seed, nor plant any sort of seed!