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gentleman told me confidently, that the rain had, in 

 the early part of November, half drowned the plants, 

 and stunted their growth. But another, as confidently 

 declared, that had it not been for that rain, none of 

 the seed would have come up. We have all about 

 an equal knowledge of the subject, arid you will 

 observe that it is not deep/ 



All these circumstances, beyond doubt, tend to 

 prove not that exotic cotton can not be cultivated in 

 India as a mercantile speculation ; but simply that the 

 experiment has yet to be made : and the chances of 

 success seem to me, to be very fairly put in the follow- 

 ing remarks. f The application of experience cannot 

 entirely ward off loss from such causes [excessive 

 rain-fall and ravages of insects;] but I feel confident 

 that the want of experience, generally, as to the time 

 of sowing, choice of soil, and treatment of the 

 plant, by Europeans who have hitherto essayed the 

 cultivation of the plant on this side of India, is the 

 chief cause of failure. We may therefore fairly enter- 

 tain the hope that with perseverence and increased 

 attention to these essentials, we shall, in time, 

 produce cotton, in quantity and quality, that will 

 stand comparison with the produce of any country 

 in the world/* 



* Report of Mr. Stewart Doug-las on Samples of Indian -grown 

 New Orleans and Egyptian Cotton, to the Horticultural Society of 

 Beng-al (29th March 1862.) 



