68 REPORT OF THE AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH 



Berar Jari. — Much cleaner than Khandesh. Will 

 fetch a rupee or two more than ordinar}^ 

 Khandesh. Value R270 per candy. 



Malvensis. — Not strong, but longer and silkier: 

 much cleaner than Varadi. Value R295 per 

 candy. 



Bard. — Percentage 26, less silky but longer and 

 stronger than Malvensis. R285 per candy. 



Note: — Hough cottons are always cleaner than soft cottons. 

 The basis for valuation was Broach at R320 per candy. 



Selection of seed. — ^Seed selection is known by the name 

 of Alkabalka. At one time, it was practised extensively. 

 The mode adopted was to select the best opened bolls at 

 the second picking and stack the cotton. This was separ- 

 ately ginned and the seed so obtained was reserved for sow- 

 ing for the next season. 



Now-a-days on account of the introduction of ginning 

 factories any seed is used for sowing and no effort is made 

 towards selection. At the commencement of the gin 

 factories, the machine ginned seeds were looked upon as 

 unsuitable for cultivation, but this prejudice has unfortu- 

 nately fast died out and the seed for sowing is purchased 

 from Banias who give such seeds as they have at their 

 own price. It is absolutely necessary to revive the old 

 and useful practice of selecting seed and getting )it hand- 

 ginned. 



Picking. — This is done usually after Diivali, by women 

 and children. Payment is made in kind. l-20th part of 

 the cotton picked is the labour charges for the first pick- 

 ing; for the subsequent pickings, a higher proportion has 

 to be given. These rates depend upon the cheapness of 

 labour. If the labour is scarce, the rates are higher and 

 vice versa. 



This practice is still in vogue in some places, but it has 

 Ijeen replaced in recent years by cash payment as the casli 

 payment is found to be cheaper. The usual rate of cash 

 payment is annas three per maund of cotton picked- A 



