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Has anyone

The PRESIDENT. A very interesting paper. any questions to ask? I will call upon Mr. HASERICK for

comments.

Mr. ARTHUR A. HASERICK.

Mr. President, I think that is a very interesting paper. I have not studied the subject enough to ask any questions about it. It was full of valuable information for all of us.

MEETING OF THE INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION.

The PRESIDENT.

I

For the information of those present I will state that we have received a cable from the Secretary of the International Federation asking: "How many delegates and ladies are coming, definitely? Shall we reserve rooms?" understand that none of our delegates are intending to take ladies with them, but I thought it possible that others might be going with them and if so I would like to be able to make some statement in reply to this cable. If any of you can give me any information I will be glad if you will kindly notify the Chair at your earliest convenience.

The next paper is upon Sea Island Cotton, by Mr. F. G. SCHELL, the Secretary of the Sea Island Cotton Association, Lake Butler, Florida.

The author is not present and it will be read by the Secretary.

SEA ISLAND COTTON,

F. G. Schell, Lake Butler, Florida.

In 1786 the celebrated Sea Island Cotton was first introduced in the United States and was first grown on Saint Simons Island on the coast of Georgia.

In 1785 it was brought from Angulla, an island in the Caribean Sea to the Bahama Islands and from the Bahamas to the coast of Georgia. From Saint Simons Island it reached the now famous Sea Islands of Charleston were the finest varieties are grown. Between the years 1825 and 1830 Mr. BURDEN of Johns Island, South Carolina, succeeded in selecting the black seed from which all the best varieties now grown in the United States originated.

The first of this cotton which was shipped to Europe was packed in wooden boxes similar to our orange boxes of today.

In geographical distribution the area of this cotton is limited. In the United States on a line drawn from Georgetown, South Carolina, to a point in West Florida following down the Atlantic coast in a half moon circular line about fifty (50) miles from the

The best staple grown outside of the islands at Charleston is grown in East Florida in the counties of Baker and Bradford. In these counties originated the market named "East Floridas." The conditions of soil in these two counties having a stiff clay subsoil within from 9 to 12 inches under the surface and overlaid with a sandy loam are perhaps the main reason why a better staple can be grown here than in any other place in Georgia or Florida. The Sea Island Cotton requires a great deal of moisture, far more than the upland varieties. The lands of Baker and Bradford are what are termed locally "Flat Woods

Lands."

Moisture plays an all potent factor's part in the quality of the staple. In dry years we have a poor staple, wet years. a good staple. The quality, uniformity, length, and color of the staple of the Sea Island Cotton are due to several causes. First, the planter has not had any practical inducement and encouragement of late years to grow fine cotton. Thousands of orders sent by the commission men to his local agent is for No. 2 cotton. The small white farmer who is punctual in paying the local dealer for his fertilizer and other farm supplies brings in his cotton to pay for them. The local dealer shows him his telegram order from the commissin man for the No. 2 cotton and the price set on it and the farmer sells his best cotton for a No. 2 price. Whenever the manufacturers get a practical inducement before the farmer in the way of a better price direct to him for his skill and extra care in growing a finer cotton then the question will be solved of growing a better staple and eradicating the evils of slovenly and slipshod management of the staple now prevailing.

The Nap and Crimping of the staple is nearly all due to careless management by the planter and ginner. The Nap from ginning wet cotton. The Crimping from careless adjustment of the gins. The waste can be reduced by careful drying and resorting the cotton before it is ginned. Another cause of deterioration is for want of new seed, it having been the custom of the Georgia and Florida planters to renew their seed every three years from the Islands in Charleston where they cannot now get them. For the Sea Island Association I have been instrumental in placing 500 bushels of new seed in limited quantities to the Georgia and Florida planters this season, and we now have an educational campaign projected for raising a finer and better cared-for staple. In the East Florida section we think by scientific care, skill and selection, our cotton can be brought up to 2 and 24 inch staple that will be uniformly long and strong and good color if the manufacturers of the world need this kind of cotton and will co-operate with us in our aims in the right way.

VALUE OF THE SEA ISLAND VARIETY.

The world's finest fabrics are manufactured from it. It is

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