of Indian cotton to England amounted to as much as 

 86,555,000 Ibs. or 247,300 bales (a bale of cotton = 3^ cwt.). 

 In 1821 only 20,000 bales were exported. In 1841 however 

 the export rose to 278,000 bales. In 1848 the export fell to 

 49,000 bales. During the American Civil War, India again 

 became the chief source of supply of cotton to the English 

 market. At the end of the War, American cotton regained its 

 footing in the English market. The objections to the Indian 

 cotton in the English market are, (i) imperfection of 

 picking, cleaning and packing, (2) adulteration, (3) the higher 

 price which has to be paid for the inferior hand-ginned cotton 

 compared with the price paid for the superior machine-ginned 

 American cotton, (4) the shorter-staple of the Indian cotton. 

 The improvement in cotton cultivation in recent years is chiefly 

 due to the establishment of numerous cotton mills in India. 



470. The area under cotton in India has been estimated, 

 at about 15,000,000 acres and the outturn of cleaned lint, at 

 about 9,000,000 cwts. Of the 9,00,000 cwt., about 5,00,000 

 cwt. are exported, 3,00,000 cwt. used in mills in India and 

 1,00,000 cwt. used in country looms for domestic purposes. 

 The acreage under cotton in Bengal has been estimated at 

 162,000 and the outturn at 138,800 cwts. or 96 Ibs. per acre. 

 Cotton-growing is a minor industry in Bengal. 



471. Arahar, til and juar are often grown along with 

 cotton. 



472. The time for sowing and picking cotton in the prin- 

 cipal cotton-growing districts of Bengal are given below : 



Sowing time. Harvest time. 



Midnapore ... May and June. September to 



March. 



Cuttack ... (i) June to July, (i) October and 



November, 

 (2) November and (2) May and June, 



December, 



(3) October and (3) February to 

 November, June. 



