H. MAIITIX LEAKE AND RAM PERSHAD. l0& 



of the Egyptian type of plant in at least some of the lower 

 tracts of S. W. Persia where irrigation is assured. That this 

 suggestion may not lead to false hopes and subsequent disap- 

 pointment it IS desirable here to draw attention to the 

 difficulties attendant on efforts at acclimatisation : a subject 

 which has received treatment elsewhere.* 



The only definite information received concerning the 

 suitability of the Egyptian cottons is derived from H. B. M.'s 

 Consul-General, Isphahan. On this subject he writes of a 

 conversation with a Parsee that the crop from Egyptian seed 

 which was planted in Rafsenjan, " did not properly ripen owing 

 to the cool weather coming on too quickly for it ; he said they 

 only got 20 mans where the ordinary kind would have given 

 150. The cotton produced was much finer and longer than 

 the ordinary kind and sold for 1 kran a man more in Bombaj', 

 but, on the other hand, ordinary cotton will stand 14 — 20 daj's 

 without water, whereas this required it every 7 ; that in the 

 native plant, besides the wool the seeds are good for cattle 

 which will also eat the leaves and stalks, but will not eat the 

 Egyptian." 



This attenipt appears to have failed, but the district in 

 which it was undertaken differs somewhat from that to which 

 these remarks especially applj'. 



Mem., Dept. Agr. India, Bot. Series, Vol. IV, No. 3, 



