ILLUSTRATIONS OF INDIAN BOTANY. ol 
our climate than the others, but because they are subject to the attacks of an insect, which de- 
posits its eggs in the young fruit, causing blight and destruction of the produce long before it 
‘attains maturity. 
ie Pernambuco variety ( Gossypium acuminatum ) promises to succeed better, and being a 
strong growing shrub producing a very long stapled cotton, may prove a very useful addition to 
our stock. 
It appears from the facts adduced, that the soil and climate of this portion of India, are far 
from unfavourable to the growth of the foreign varieties of the cotton plant, and equally that 
they produce cotton of good quality, but whether equal tothat of American growth I am unable 
to say. Mr. Fischer of Salem, the Principal Cultivator on this side of India has altogether dis- 
continued cultivating it, not on account of the inferiority of its produce, but because it is greatly 
inferior as an article of commerce to the Bourbon variety and much more troublesome and 
expensive to clean and fit for the market, and then, does not fetch so high a price by nearly 50 
per cent. But though that is the case in the ferruginous soils of Salem, it does not follow 
that it would prove equally so in other districts where the soil is entirely alluvial and argillace- 
ous, since in such soils, my experiments have led to the conclusion that the American short 
staples are more productive, and answer upon the whole better, than the Bourbon, while, from 
the rapidity with which they come to maturity, they are as susceptible, as the indi- 
genous sorts, of being cultivated as an annual, which, in the opinion of the natives, might be 
thought an advantage. 
Having I trust satisfactorily shown that in the southern provinces of India, the American short 
stapled cottons can be cultivated with equal ease and certainty, under the same course of treatment, 
as the indigenous kind, it only remains to ascertain whether the produce is intrinsically equal in 
value, or in other words whether fabrics manufactured from it possess the recommendation of 
wearing equally well. On this point I confess myself unable to afford any satisfactory information. 
The belief of the natives as above stated is adverse to the supposition that the American cotton 
is equal in that respect to the Indian, but their conviction is formed from comparing imported 
European cloth, with native fabrics, which I do not consider fair subjects of comparison, in as 
much as India was, in the first instance and for along time after, supplied with old cloths, the re- 
fuse of European warehouses, which had been deteriorated by long keeping and more or less by 
the processes employed in bleaching in Europe to which Indian cloths are not subjected. The 
result of my own experience, as well as of several others with whom ave conversed on the 
subject, is in favour of the supposition, that European cloth is fully equal to Indian, and I have 
no hesitation in adding, that native cloth which I have had made up to express order, and of. the 
most costly quality, did not wear nearly so well as European cloth purchased 100 per cent. 
cheaper from the boxes of strolling hawkers. From this | infer American cotton grown in its 
own country, is at least equal to Indian, but whether when grown in India it retains its good 
qualities, remains to be determined, on that point I am unable to give any precise information, 
and for the present leave the matter as I found it sub-judice. 
The fact of Bourbon cotton of Indian growth, having sold in the London market for the 
highest prices going, and I believe I may safely add, always 100 per cent higher than the native 
cottons or ‘ Surats’ leaves no room to doubt its excellence, and some specimens 
bricated from that kind have been acknowledged, in this country, to be of the first quality. 
While thus endeavouring to the utmost to introduce new varieties it must not be overlook- 
ed, however much of the native partiality in favour of the indigenous cotton we may attribute to 
prejudice, that, notwithstanding it is generally badly prepared and dirty, it bears a fair and steady 
price in the English market, and is in constant demand for mixing with the American kinds, 
thus proving almost to demonstration, that in the estimation of the English manufacturer it 
possesses valuable properties, and even leads to the inference, that we might be more usefully em- 
ployed in directing our energies to its improvement, than in devoting so much labour and capital 
to the introduction of an exotic, only adapted for successful culture on particular kinds of 
lands, and these well suited for other kinds of cultivation, while it is less, or not at all fitted for 
culture on the Black soils, especially adapted for the production of the indigenous sorts, which, 
on the other hand, are not so well adapted for the general purposes of agriculture. Could then 
anything be done to improve the quality and marketable value of the Indian cotton ? 
