108 COTTON IN THE MADRAS PRESIDENCY. [!ST. SEASON. 



CHAP. Gathering. The gathering season commences about 

 IV> the middle of July, when only a few of the first formed 

 153 bolls begin to open. Before however these have been gather- 

 ed from the whole plantation, the beautiful snow white 

 tufts of vegetable wool begin to appear, thickly interspersed 

 amongst the deep green and yellow flowers. From that 

 time until Christmas there is no cessation of labour. Six 

 day sin the week from daylight to dark the hands are in the 

 field, except when they are interrupted by rain, which is 

 always injurious during the picking season, when dry wea- 

 ther is most desired. Every evening the day's gathering is 

 weighed to see that each hand has done its duty ; every hand 

 being expected to pick from 150 to 250 Ibs. per diem, aver- 

 aging in fine weather about 200 Ibs. ; a result which strange- 

 ly contrasts with similar work in India, where Mr. Finnie 

 never heard of a hand gathering exceeding fifteen pounds, 

 and where from seven to ten pounds is the usual day's work. 

 After the weighing of the day's gathering, the Cotton is 

 carried in waggons to the gin-house, and the day's work is 

 over. Next day the Cotton is spread out on plank scaffolds 

 to dry ; and a few superannuated Negroes pick it over, and 

 take out the trash that may have accidentally got mixed 

 with it. Thus the seed Cotton goes to the gin almost free 

 from trash, and consequently comes out clean. 



Uncertainty of weather : average crops. As regards 

 the general failure of a Cotton crop, Mr. Finnie says that he 

 had never known of such a case in America. Every year 

 the speculators who have a stock to sell get up a cry of fai- 

 lure ; whilst those who wish to buy exaggerate the probable 

 produce of the season in order to lessen the price. The rea- 

 son why there never is a general failure seems to be as fol- 

 lows. Poor and rich lands are interspersed through the 

 whole country, except immediately on the river ; and whilst 

 the poor lands produce the finest crops in a wet season, the 

 new rich hill lands, and all river bottom lands, produce the 



