Malvacee] THE HIMALAYAN MOUNTAINS. 97 
suited to the formation of cotton-wool, but so few meteorological registers give the dry- 
ness and moisture of a climate, as well as its temperature, that we cannot at present draw 
any just conclusions, An insular climate, though comparatively moist, may be useful 
from the equability of temperature, the freedom of atmospheric circulation which pro- 
motes evaporation, as much as from mere vicinity to the sea. 
“Considering, therefore, that Mr. Bennet, after years of experience and attentive 
observation, concludes his statement by saying, “ that he has hitherto gained some new 
insight every year, and sees clearly that there is an hundred times more to be learned 
about cotton than its planters imagine,” (Zrop. Agricult. p. 46.) it is not unreasonable 
to suppose that much may be done’ for its improvement in India, where few have paid 
sufficient attention to the subject, and the cultivation has hitherto been left almost 
entirely in the hands of the natives. Much also may be hoped from the experiments of 
the ‘* Agricultural Society of India” being extended to every part of the country. I 
have no doubt that by the importation of foreign, and the selection of native seed; 
attention to the peculiarities not only of soil, but also of climate, as regards the course 
of the seasons ; and the temperature, dryness, and moisture of the atmosphere ; as well 
as attention to the mode of cultivation, such as preparing the soil, sowing in lines, 
so as to facilitate the circulation of air; weeding, ascertaining whether the mixture of 
other crops with the cotton be injurious or otherwise, pruning, picking the cotton ag it 
ripens, and keeping it clean; great improvement must take place in the quality of the 
cotton. Experiments may at first be more expensive than the ordinary culture, but the 
natives of India, when taught by example, would adopt the improved processes as 
regularly and as easily.as the other; and as labour is no where cheaper, any extra 
outlay would be repaid fully as profitably as in countries where the best cottons are at 
present. produced. 
The subject is one of great importance not only to India, but also to England, as the 
latter must always be interested in having her manufactures supplied from as wide a 
surface as possible, so as to be independent at all times of temporary interruptions 
to commerce. To India the subject is one of vast consequence, as the consumption 
of cotton in England is about 300,000,000 pounds annually, of which India does not 
supply above a twentieth part ; any improvement, therefore, in the quality of the cotton 
or the productiveness of the plant, could not fail to be of great benefit, both to the 
agriculturist and to the merchant. : 
In addition to the above considerations, in attempting improvements in the cultivation of cotton, it 
is necessary to ascertain the species or varieties which are cultivated in different countries; but in this, 
there are great, and, in some respects, insurmountable difficulties, as botanists have generally neglected 
the subject,and omitted mentioning the cultivated species; while cultivators have used provincial names, 
or applied new ones of their own, to the exclusion of any notice of the names in use among botanists. 
This has rendered it impossible for others to ascertain to what species their otherwise valuable obser- 
vations refer. 'The celebrated De Candolle has admitted thirteen species, observing that they are all 
uncertain, and that no genus more requires the labours of a monographist; two additional species 
have been described by Dr. Roxburgh, one by Reeusch, and another in the Flore de Senegambie. Dr. 
oO * Von 
