90 



REPORT OF THE AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH 



Cotton Cvof Experiments conducted on the Dry Farm 

 Experimental Station of Ahmednagar. — Here we have ad- 

 verse conditions under another aspect, namely, of drought 

 and not excessive rainfall. The season on the whole was 

 reported to be good, but the rainfall was above the average 

 and towards the end of the season was also untimely. The 

 germination of the seeds was therefore affected by the pack- 

 ing of the soil which occurs during heavy falls of rain. The 

 subsequent resowing of the numerous gaps and more than 

 usually rapid growth of weeds threw an excessive addition 

 to the normal cost of cultivation. The first picking when 

 approaching maturity was destroyed by the heavy down- 

 pour in the Swati rains. The plants, however, recover- 

 ed, but the occurrence of a sudden frost finally destroyed 

 the crop. Karkeli on the whole proved most resistant, 

 yielding at the rate of 144 lbs. of seed cotton per acre, while 

 5 types of Khandesh cotton gave 94, 100, 104, 112, 114 lbs. 

 respectively. Although due attention was paid to all the 

 details of treatment and cultivation, no workable precau- 

 tions could possibly be employed to insure the crops against 

 the vicissitudes of such an abnormal season. 



The following are valuations by Messrs. Tata Sons on 

 samples from Ahmednagar : — 



JSaaf'a.^Khandesh Gd. Rs. 310 per candy of 784 lbs. 



