13 REPORT CF THE AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE. 



the area under this cotton and to improve the quality and 

 outturn by selection. In the Central Provinces arrange- 

 ments v^ere made during 1908-09 to secure a large supply 

 of seed for distribution. It is a good cropper in districts 

 of fairly heavy rainfall, yields a high percentage of lint of 

 good quality and is comparatively immune to wilt. 



In Madras and Burm^, experiments with Egyptian 

 and other varieties of cotton are in progress. 



Tree Cottons. — Further trials with tree cottons have 

 confirmed the opinion which I have previously expressed, 

 viz., that they will never enter into regular cultivation in 

 India. The experiments made by Messrs. Shaw, Wallace 

 and Company with this class of cotton have generally 

 failed. The cliief centre of their operations was the Mour- 

 bhunj Farm. One hundred and seventy acres were plant- 

 ed out with perennial cottons in 1907. In the succeeding 

 year this area was increased to about 300 acres. In August 

 1908 the plantations were inspected by me in company 

 with the Director of Agriculture, Bengal, and a report was 

 submitted to Government. The experiments had failed 

 and therefore have been abandoned since March, 1909, 

 Some success has been obtained with the Bourdon variety 

 in the Bombay Presidency and favourable results have been 

 obtained here and there in Assam and Burma, but the place 

 of tree cottons as a field crop in Indian agriculture is very 

 limited. 



J. MOLLISON, M.R.A.C, 



Inspector General of Agriculture in India. 



Simla; 

 The 5th August 1909. 



