§ MR. RUNCIMAN (Dewsbury)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has any official reports showing that sugar planters in some of the West Indian islands are taking to the cultivation of cotton in: place of sugar; and, if so, will he say in which islands this change is in progress; and bow many estates are affected.
§ MR. J. CHAMBERLAINThe hon. Member will find full information on the subject in the publications of the Imperial 567 Department of Agriculture for the West Indies, published by Messrs. Dulan and Company, 37, Soho Square, and especially in the publication entitled "Information relating to Cotton Cultivation in the West Indies, 1903." It contains an account of experiments that are being made to cultivate cotton in localities where sugar growing cannot possibly be carried on at a profit.