224: PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 
REVENUE DEPARTMENT. 
PROCEEDINGS OF THE Mapras GOVERNMENT. 
Read the letter from Captain J. Mrronet, Officer in charge of 
the Government Central Museum, to J. W. Brerxs, Hsq., 
Private Secretary to His Excellency the Governor, dated 
Madras, 29th April, 1862 :-— 
My brag Sig, 
With reference to the 16th paragraph of my letter of the 21st 
April, 1862, to your address, 1 have now the honour to forward a 
table exhibiting the prices of the various samples of cotton sent 
out by the Cotton Supply Association, opposite to which are black 
lines to show the average length of staple, which lengths are also 
given in inches and decimal parts. To this I have added a short 
memorandum to show why the table has been prepared, and con- 
taining a few remarks haying reference to some points to which it 
appears desirable to attract attention 
‘Will you do me the favour to ascertain whether this paper will 
meet the wishes of his Excelleney the Governor, as conveyed to 
me in paragraph seven of your letter of the 3rd April, 1862. 
The white lines on this paper are intended to show, without 
having recourse to a scale, the average length of fibre in the 
several samples of cotton sent by the Cotton Supply Association, 
being those in the greatest demand in the English market. 
The plan of measurement adopted was to tease out repeatedly 
a small quantity of cotton until a tuft was obtained with both 
extremities of the fibres as nearly as possible in line. It was then 
tied round the middle with a thread, and applied to a one-inch 
diagonal scale. 
But as, notwithstanding every care, there will remain a few 
fibres which project beyond the others, it is proper to note that 
the lines represent the length of the principal body of the tuft, and 
not that of these few extreme fibres. 
There is a perceptible difference both to seght and touch in dif- 
ferent cottons; some are very soft and silky-looking, others feel 
somewhat crisp and look less brilliant. But it is probable that 
considerable experience is requisite before cotton can be judged 
of in this way ; therefore no attempt has been made to lay down 
rules on that subject here. It must, however, be observed that in 
cottons of Indian growth the microscope shows a greater propor- 
tion of thin flat fibres than is found in the American grown cottons, 
and it is possible that much of the beautiful glossy appearance of 
the better class of long cloths and cambrics depends upon the 
comparative absence of these thin flat fibres from the cotton of 
which they are made; and it may be a question for scientific 
agriculturists whether any alteration of the time of sowing or by 
some other means of which they will be the best judges, more 
