120 SCIENTIFIC REPORTS OF THE AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH 



about Rs. 15 per acre more than any other variety of the 

 mixture. After long experiment the Department decided 

 that this was the most profitable type to grow and the far- 

 mers themselves have independently arrived at a like con- 

 clusion. A large seed farm, assisted by certified cultiva- 

 tors, is established at Jalgaon and great quantities of seed 

 of this low grade type have been distributed throughout the 

 tract. It appears probable that at no far distant future 

 this will replace the old established mixture which, after 

 all, had its good points and many merchants now bewail 

 what they call the deterioration of Khandesh cotton. There 

 are already indications of the setting in of a more insistent 

 demand for finer cottons and it would be well for the De- 

 partment to be prepared to put out a higher class cotton 

 when the demand for it reaches this tract. Possibly the 

 lowest grade variety will always be the most remunerative 

 but the Department must remember that there is a risk 

 of a great fall in price of such cotton on account of over- 

 production. 



I am of opinion that the time will soon come when the 

 Department can safely leave the white-flowered cotton to 

 look after itself and meanwhile attention should be centred 

 on the improvement of the finer varieties. 



In the adjoining districts of the Deccan, especially per- 

 haps in Sholapur where a large expansion of the cotton 

 crop has occurred in recent years, there is the same tendency 

 to replace the old neglectum mixture with a pure strain of 

 white-flowered cotton. Trials have been initiated to test 

 the values of the other members of the mixture. This tract 

 abuts on the part of the Nizam's Dominions where a parti- 

 cularly fine cotton is grown, probably the best of the Indian 

 cottons, the G. indicum of Todaro, and Bani, Hinganghat, 

 etc., of the trade. It would amount to a calamity if this 

 fine strain was vitiated with the low grade cotton from 

 Khandesh and Berar although there are distinct indica- 

 tions that the contamination has commenced, as will be 

 seen from the fact that Barsi cotton has deteriorated. 

 Along the Godavari Valley in Hyderabad Territory this 



