1813-36.] EARLY EXPERIMENTAL CULTURE. 29 



to improve the condition of the wool. Accordingly in 1813, CHAP. 



they sent out Mr. Bernard Metealfe, a Cotton Cleaner from 



Georgia and New Orleans, to experimentalize with some Ame- 

 rican saw gins in the Cotton growing districts of Tinnevel- 

 ly, Bellary, and Cuddapah. But the attempt failed, as the %***>* 

 Natives refused to give up their time-honoured churka, for court of io 

 such expensive and new fangled machinery as the gin. istiT Dec. 

 About the same time, the Commercial Residents in the ser- Cotton Re. 



ports(1836) 



vice of the Company appear to have interested themselves P- 61 - 

 in the Cotton question ; for it will be remembered that in 

 those days the Company was a Mercantile body as well as a 

 Political power. In 1819, Mr. Rundall, the Commercial Re- e m erS Ma- 

 sident in Bellary and Cuddapah, drew up a Memorial upon Trtde.2?ih 

 Cotton cultivation, in which he urged the introduction of cotum Re- 



ports(1836) 



Cotton from Bourbon, Brazil, and New Orleans. Accord- p. 87. 

 ingly, the Madras Government established four Cotton Farms 

 of four hundred acres each : viz , two in Tinnevelly and 

 Coimbatore in Southern India ; and two in Masulipatam* 

 and Vizagapatam in the Northern Circars. Each Farm 

 was placed under the direction of the Commercial Re- 

 sident of the district. Of these the Farm at Vizagapatam 

 proved the most successful ; for there the Commercial Resident, 

 Mr. Heath, had largely profited by the instructions which he 

 had received from Mr. Hughes of Tinnevelly.-f- In the pre- 



* Now included in the Godaveri district. See para 9. 



f Mr. Hughes's method of cultivating Bourbon Cotton in India is worthy 

 of notice, inasmuch as reference will be made to it hereafter. His own ac- 

 count is arranged under the heads of soil, climate, culture, pruning, and 

 cleaning. (1.) As regards Soil, he asserted that the Red and Brown Loams 

 formed the most suitable and fruitful. Rich, heavy, retentive, stiff soils 

 did not answer ; for though the plants might be luxuriant, yet they were 

 apt to produce wood and leaf, rather than fruit buds. Black Cotton soil, he 

 declared, was to be entirely avoided for the Bourbon Cotton. (2.) As regards 

 Climate, Mr. Hughes believed that the free admission of light winds, and the 

 free circulation of air, were of the greatest benefit; and that situations near the 

 sea, or within the influence of the sea breeze, were to be preferred. A dry 

 soil and a dry atmosphere from March to May, and from July to September, 

 seemed essential both to the good quality of the wool and the productive- 

 ness of the plant. (3.) As regards Culture, Mr. Hughes had ascertained 

 that the plant would continue many years ; that is, the plant might be cul- 



