MIXOR PRODUCTS OF CEYLON 517 



established at Peradeniya since 1884, but although the tree 

 flourishes here it is not a prolific bearer. The flowers and fruit are 

 similar to those of the Arabian Coffee. 



Hybrid Coffee. The most important of hybrid coffees growing 

 at Peradeniya is a cross between the Arabian and Liberian species. 

 This obviously partakes of "the character of both the parents, and 

 bears a heavy crop of good-sized berries. The plant is a vigorous 

 grower, and its robust constitution appears to render it to some 

 extent resistant to the coffee-leaf disease. 



Mocha Coffee. Arabian-grown coffee is generally known by 

 this name, and is so-called because it was formerly shipped entirely 

 from Mocha. It is a variety of Coffea arabica, with rather small 

 berries, and its cultivation is confined to the province of Yemen in 

 South-western Arabia. 



Cotton; "Pulun," S. This consists of the delicate hair-like 

 fibres which clothe the seeds of various species of Gossypiinn (of 

 the Natural Order Malvaceae), which though shrubby perennials 

 in nature are usually cultivated as annuals. Cotton is the most im- 

 portant of all textile fibres, and has been used in India from time 

 immemorial. The principal cotton-producing country is the United 

 States, those countries coming next in importance being Egypt, 

 India and Queensland. The cotton plant requires a rich friable 

 deep soil (black humous soil being considered the best), a warm 

 climate with a wet season of 2 or 3 months followed by dry 

 weather. It is suited to the semi-dry region of Ceylon, especially 

 in the North and North-Central provinces, where it appears to have 

 been cultivated from remote times. In some of the principal cotton 

 growing districts of South India, the annual rainfall is only about 

 27 inches. With, however, a limited rainfall, such as this, irrigation 

 must be resorted to. Shade trees must be avoided, but strong winds 

 are injurious to the crop. The seeds, which must be fresh, should be 

 sown in the rainy weather, at such a time as will result in the crop 

 being picked in the dry season. After the land is ploughed and 

 harrowed, sow the seeds in rows, allowing 4 to 5 ft. between the 

 latter and about 2 ft. between the plants in the row, say 5,000 

 plants to the acre. It is usual to sow 2 to 4 seeds to the hole, 

 4 inches apart ; the weaker seedlings are afterwards pulled out, 

 leaving the strongest one. About 6 Ib. of seed* is thus sufficient to 

 sow one acre. In fairly moist districts the ground should be thrown 

 up in drills, but in dry regions with loose soil, level cultivation 



1 lb.=about -I.030 seeds. 



