Southe7-n Mahratta Country. 59 



— that it would not be so profitable as the common cotton — that, 

 in March and April, when the regur land yawns, the roots 

 would be exposed, and the plants would consequently die — 

 that it would require water in the hot season,"" &c. &c. Not- 

 withstanding these objections of the Ryuts to the cultivation of 

 the Bourbon cotton, I have no doubt, that, in many parts of 

 the district, it would answer well, and prove valuable. The 

 above objections apply only to the regur-land, and to the east- 

 ern parts of the district. In all that part of the country which 

 is west of the meridian of Darwar, the plants would receive a 

 sufBcient supply of moisture without irrigation ; and, if planted 

 on good mussub soil, they would not be liable to be injured by 

 the yawning of the ground in the hot season, for this takes 

 place only in the regur-soil. The plant is perennial, and there- 

 fore would not require to be renewed like the common cotton ; 

 and although it does not bear fruit till the third year, yet other 

 articles can be cultivated between the rows of the cotton-plants 

 during the two or three first years, while they are still small. 

 I may only add, that several plants of the Bourbon cotton 

 thrived remarkably well in red gravelly soil in my own garden 

 at Darwar, without receiving any water, and where the climate 

 is not nearly so moist as that of the country farther to the west. 

 The quality of the Bourbon cotton is very superior to that of the 

 common cotton of the district. 



The common cotton of the Darwar district is of good quality, 

 but is seldom well cleaned. Were a little pains taken to have it 

 well cleaned, it would prove a very profitable ai'ticle. A candy of 

 500 lb. of clean cotton can generally be bought at Darwar for 

 62 rupees. Sack-cloth and packing would cost ten rupees ; 

 and carriage to Sedasheghur, the nearest seaport, would cost 

 ten rupees more, making altogether 82 rupees for 500 lb. 

 If we call the rupee one shilling and tenpence, therefore, this 

 cotton could be put on board ship at Sedasheghur, at the rate 

 of little more than 3gd. per pound *. At present a good deal 

 of this cotton is carried to Bombay by Parsee merchants, by 

 way of Comtah, a place much farther down the coast than Se- 



• At present no duties are levied on goods exported from Sedasheghur. 



