6 4 



COTTON PRODUCTION 



The average yield of cotton per acre in India during 1913-14 thus 

 amounted to about 85 Ib. 



During recent years, the problem of improving 

 the Indian staple has received a large amount of 

 attention at the hands of the Agricultural Depart- 

 ments. The work has included a survey and classi- 

 fication of the indigenous varieties, the introduction 

 of exotic varieties, the production of new forms by 

 hybridisation, the improvement of the native varieties 

 by seed selection, and endeavours to improve the 

 methods of cultivation. At the present time it is 

 considered that, in most districts, progress can be 

 best ensured by improving the indigenous cottons, 

 rather than by attempting the acclimatisation of 

 foreign kinds. The following are some of the prin- 

 cipal results that have been achieved. 



In Bombay a hybrid of the local Coompta variety 

 has been produced which gives a higher yield of 

 cotton than the ordinary Coompta, and realises 

 better prices. The Broach variety has been intro- 

 duced into the Southern Mahratta country with great 

 success, and has proved more profitable to the growers 

 than the local Coompta ; the cultivation of this 

 cotton has recently undergone considerable extension, 



