184549.] DR. WIGHTS FOUR YEARS IN COIMBATORE. 81 



Cotton seed, but chiefly by engaging to purchase the produce CHAP. 



at a higher rate than the market value in India ; this higher 1_ 



rate being adjusted to the relative market prices of American 

 and Indian Cotton in the home market. Dr. Wight consi- see para 84. 

 dered that this step was necessary to secure the Ryot against 

 personal loss, until the American Cotton should have ob- 

 tained an established market value in India. These offers 

 however failed to encourage the Ryots. For some time they 

 held back altogether, but at last in the first season at the Dr. wight's 

 new location, viz. in 1845-46, some Ryots were induced to veSf'im. 

 attempt the cultivation. Unfortunately, instead of sowing turu'(i847> 

 the American seed in July and August, they waited until 

 the setting in of the North-east monsoon, and thus sowed it 

 in October with the Native plant. Accordingly, the expe- 

 riment turned out a failure, and no purchases appear to have 

 been made. 



Court of Directors order 6OOO bales of East India 120 

 Cotton, 1835. Meantime the Court of Directors had direct- 

 eel that 5000 or 6000 bales of East India Cotton, cleaned by the 

 saw gin, should be sent out to England at one time ; in order p r v i". l iie- 

 that some conclusive result should be arrived at respecting pTSs. 

 the merits of the article. This necessitated large purchases 

 of Native seed Cotton from the Ryots, for the purpose of 

 submitting it to the action of Dr. Wight's saw gins at 

 Coimbatore. In 1846-47 nearly <1,200 or 12,000 rupees Parl . R g- 

 were expended; in 1817-48 the purchases reached ^2,100, ^VSo-iSs? 

 and in 1848-49 they amounted to nearly ^?2,600. 



Proposition for reducing the assessment of lands 121 

 under American Cotton cultivation. In 1847, the Letter 0{ 

 Manchester Association had recommended that the whole J^il \^'_ 

 of the 6000 bales should consist of American Cotton. Feb. m?! 

 Accordingly Dr. Wight began to consider how to extend turn 

 the cultivation of the foreign article. He at once made 



known to the local merchants who frequented the gin house, 



L 



