196 COTTON 



(1) Southern Mahratta country. 



(2) and (3) North and South Guzerat. 

 (4) Deccan, with Khandesh. 



In the Southern Mahratta country the two prevailing 

 types of cotton are American, which had been acclima- 

 tized many years ago, and an Indian, which appears to 

 be a degenerated type of Surat Broach cotton. As 

 Dharwar American cotton showed but slight response 

 to improvement by selection, it was decided to test the 

 Cambodia, because that had given such excellent results 

 in Madras. The success of Cambodia was more or less 

 assured from the first, but as the cultivators have dis- 

 covered that it thrives on a smaller rainfall than is 

 required by the Dharwar American, the proportionate 

 areas of each under cultivation is controlled by the 

 amount of rain that falls at the sowing time. The prices 

 realized during the present season prove that Cambodia 

 cotton is intrinsically superior to Dharwar American. 



On a day when the market rate of Dharwar American 

 stood at Rs. 126 per Naga of 1,344 Ib. of kapas, the 

 corresponding rates for Cambodia cotton ranged from 

 Rs. 196 to Rs. 166, the variation depending on the 

 ginning percentage, which ranged from 37 and above 

 to 32-5. 



It has lately been ascertained that the Dharwar 

 American cotton is composed of two varieties, the pro- 

 portionate mixture of which appears to vary in different 

 localities. It is expected that after all an improvement 

 can be effected by selecting out the superior type. 



The other cotton of the Southern Mahratta country is 

 Kumpta, similar in the botanical characters to Broach, 

 but producing an inferior cotton with a low ginning 

 percentage. Experiments in selection and cross-ferti- 

 lization in this Kumpta cotton have increased the ginning 

 percentage from 25 to 29 on the Dharwar Farm. It yet 

 remains to be seen whether the improvement will main- 

 tain itself over field areas. As Broach cotton outclasses 

 Kumpta in colour and ginning percentage, some years 

 ago it was considered that an immediate improvement 

 could be effected by the direct introduction of Broach 

 seed (from Navsari, which produces the best fibre). 



