COTTON GROWING

Otago Witness, Issue 3519, 23 August 1921, Page 14

COTTON GROWING

POSSIBILITIES OF AUSTRALIA. LONDON, August 18. The delegation which recently completed an exhaustive examination of the cotton-growing possibilities, of Australia on behalf of British interests has presented its report in London. The report emphasises the views of experts from every cotton country in the world urging the extreme importance of growers not rushing into a heavy production of indifferent varieties, but exercising care in the selection of pure seed, eradication of poor crops, standardisation of varieties, and the ordering of machinery to deal with the whole crop. The professional services of Mr Johnson, late Director of Agriculture in Nigeria, have been engaged at a salary of £llOO. Seed will be specially selected in America and shipped to Australia. Up-to-date ginning machinery is being purchased to deal with the next crop. Substantial capital has been found for the Australian cotton-growing Association. The Empire Cotton Corporation views favourably the steps that aTe being taken. Messrs Vaughan and Armstrong, members of the commission, will leave shortly for America to visit the southern cotton-grow-ing centres. Air Vaughan will then proceed to Australia. Air Armstrong will return to London, and will then go to Egypt to complete the collection of data. The Prime Minister is cordially co-operat-ing.