22G KUMPTA COTTON AND ITS IMPROVEMENT 



lir.st of these is Middleton^ wlio grew the kumpta cotton in Gujarat, and 

 mentioned that, though grown side by side with Bharwar-American cotton 

 for niany years, it shows no trace of hybridization with it. Ganynie^ in 

 1905 gives a few further details with regard to distribution and specially 

 rernarks on the now well-recognized fact that the stiffer soils in the Bombay 

 Karnatak are considered most suitable for kmnjita cotton, while Dharwar- 

 American cotton occupies the lighter lands. 



Since the above, the remarks on kumpta cottons grown ii:i the Bombay 

 Karnatak are few and far between. The recent report^ of the Indian Cotton 

 Committee notes, however, as follows : — 



" It may be mentioned that kimipta as is the case with other varieties of 

 herhaceum is possessed of very stable characteristics and that it is therefore 

 difficult to produce anything in the nature of a recognizable improvement 

 in it. Recent researches have, however, shown that the cpantity of the crop 

 can be sensibly increased by a change in the mode of growth. Such a change 

 can be brought about by a selection of an early maturing type, the characteristics 

 of which are an upright habit of growth with many fruiting branches 

 and few vegetative branches. This character is freely inherited, although it 

 is sometimes masked by the check caused in the leading shoot by the borer 

 which attacks its pith. The selections which are being made all conform to 

 this type which furnishes a distinguishing mark capable of easy detection on 

 the field, where plants of the bushy type are most prevalent. The more 

 conapact habit permits of closer planting and therefore results' in a heavier 

 crop." ■* " It is at its best in Belgaum but is almost equally good, m Dharwar, 

 falling off in quantity further eastward. It differs from the variety of 

 Gossypium herhaceum grown in Gujarat in its shorter period of growth, smaller 

 bolls, and lower ginning percentage, the latter being 26. The stabile of the 

 kmnjJta variety is I inch in length."^ 



Present distribution oj " kumpta " cottons in the Bombay Presidency. 



The present distribution of kumpta cotton growing in British section of 

 the Bombay Presidency is almost limited to three districts, Dharwar, Bijapur 

 and Belgaum, though there is a little in Satara. In the first of these it shares 

 the cotton area with the so-called Dharwar -American type, and to a less extent 



1 Middleton. Agricultural Ledger No. 8 (1895). 



2 Qammie. "Indian Cottons," Calcutta, 1905. . . .- / 



8 " Indian Cotton Committee Report," 1919 (Calcutta). • . r' 



* Ibid, paragraph 123. , . 



^ Ibid, paragraph 117, 



