184849.] DISCUSSIONS OF DR. WIGHT AND MR. FINNIE. 163 



as such a result would be contrary to the laws of nature. CHAP. 



To obtain such a cross it would be necessary to open the 1_ 



flower before natural blooming ; to cut out the stamens be- 

 fore shedding their pollen ; and then to apply the pollen of 

 the intended male parent to the virgin stigma. If its own 

 pollen has once been applied, the other will not take effect. 

 But even supposing this to happen, and a cross obtained, 

 we should be no great gainers. The Native Cotton might 

 be improved, but it would be at the expense of the American 

 plant. Already the American Cotton is as hardy as the 

 Indian Cotton, and would only be deteriorated by the cross. 

 As regards the ginning, we pay for manual labour one 

 penny (8 pies) per maund of 25 Ibs., or three shillings and 

 four pence per 1000 Ibs. One 25 saw gin cleans 1,000 

 Ibs. of seed Cotton in about ten or twelve hours ; and 

 one 19 saw gin cleans 750 Ibs. in about the same time. 

 If the working of your gins falls below that standard, 

 either the coolies are deficient in training, or there is some- 

 thing wrong in the gins. This last I apprehend to be the 

 case ; as in examining the alterations you have made in 

 those gins you have returned, I find that you have spoiled 

 both ; thus fully proving that you do not understand the 

 mechanism of the Cotton gin. I would therefore suggest 

 the propriety of sending down an artificer, to ascertain 

 whether the fault in the working of your present gins, lies 

 with the gins or with the coolies. 



Mr. Finnie to Br. Wight, 13th December: "My 21 5 

 plans have all been approved by the authorities." Mr Fin . 



I shall not discuss the subject of the suitability of the Ame- "Jfif^JDec! 

 rican Cotton to India, nor of the American gin to Indian Return al 

 Cotton. I shall simply explain what you have misunder- 202. 

 stood, and correct your erroneous views. You now remark 

 that the purchase of bazaar Cotton is prohibited by the 

 charter ; but in 1846 you recommended the purchase of 



