GENERAL VIEW. VARIETIES OF COTTON. 17 



will convey a general knowledge of the subject ; and it may CHAP. 



be added that the North and South American varieties ex 



ceed the Indian varieties, not only in length of staple but 

 in fineness and softness of fibre. 



Six leading varieties of Cotton, viz-, Indian, Bour- 21 

 bon, New Orleans, Pernambuco, Egyptian, and 

 Sea Island. With these preliminary observations we may 

 now safely say, that for all practical purposes, the reader of 

 the present volume will only find it necessary to retain the 

 names oi six different Cottons, viz. 



1st. Indian, which is indigenous to the soil. 



2nd. Bourbon, so named from having been grown in 

 the Isle of Bourbon, where it is supposed to have been intro- 

 duced by the French from the West Indies. It was first 

 cultivated in India during the latter part of the last century 

 and commencement of the present. 



3rd. New Orleans, which is sometimes alluded to as 

 Mexican, and even as American. This was the Cotton 

 which the late Company more particularly desired to intro- 

 duce into India.* 



4th. Pernambuco, or Brazilian, upon which some ex- 

 periments are still being made by private individuals. This 

 Cotton is marked by the peculiarity of its seeds, which 

 adhere together in conglomerations. 



5th. Egyptian, which has been tried with some suc- 

 cess in the Madras district. 



6th. The Sea Island, which is cultivated on a range of 

 islands lying along the coast of South Carolina and Georgia.-)* 







* Dr. Wight tried other sorts, including Pernambuco ; but it will be seen 

 that the great object of his experimental farms was to grow New Orleans 

 Cotton. 



t A still clearer idea of the different varieties of Cotton may be gathered 



