INSTITUTE AND COLLEGE, PUSA, FOR 1907-09. 75 



cultivation of the former has declined owing to a long 

 succession of abnormally dry seasons, and that with more 

 favourable climatic conditions, hani will probably again 

 come into favour. He also says that the ryots are quite 

 alive to the necessity of selecting good seed and hand gin 

 what is required for their own use. 



In the adjoining tracts of the Nizam's territory, a parti- 

 cularly fine cotton known as karkeli is grown from its 

 centre of trade. A quantity of the best karkeli seed 

 cotton was obtained, and after ginning, was submitted to 

 Messrs. Tata for opinion. They valued it as equal to fine 

 Broach and further stated that the chief characteristic of 

 the karkeli variety of cotton is its tension which is greater 

 than that of any other variety of Indian cotton, and that 

 it is greatly valued by the mills on that account. The 

 Cotton Specialist has supplied seed to all parts where the 

 coarser cottons are grown, and when samples of the produce 

 are received, he will, if the results are promising, be able 

 to arrange for its introduction on a larger scale. This 

 cotton consists of jari of a very superior type with an 

 admixture of bani and uflancl Georgian. It is even in 

 staple and general characteristics. However the fact 

 that inferior cotton is brought down from Central India 

 for mixing purposes, is to be deplored. 



At Barsi also a good type of cotton, mostly hani, used 

 to be brought in from the Nizam's territory, but now, owing 

 to the substitution of inferior varieties, its reputation has 

 sadly diminished. It may be mentioned here that there 

 is little direct proof of deterioration of the cotton plant 

 anywhere in India, and that falling off in quality is greatly 

 due to substitution of inferior varieties, or to mixture of 

 good and bad varieties at the ginning factories. During 

 January, 1909, the Cotton Specialist toured in Gujarat to 

 study the factors of environment which influence the 

 characteristics of the distinct varieties of cotton which 

 exist there. Such a study may make it possible to formu- 

 late general laws for the production of different varieties 

 of cotton. 



