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



among palmyra trees, and those that are most protected by CHAP. 



the hedge look the best. I merely state these as facts, and ,J 



base nothing on them either for or against the success of the 

 plant in this country. Both the Red and Black lands, es- 

 pecially if well manured, would produce Cotton, if at the 

 same time they enjoyed the climate of Mississippi. You 

 say that this locality (Tinnevelly and Madura) is more 

 favourable for the culture of American Cotton than the 

 vicinity of Coimbatore. But this is opposed to your own 

 reports. Here the soil is Black, and you have always 

 asserted that the Black land is unsuited for the Ame- 

 rican Cotton ; and it was on this very account that you 

 removed your experimental farms to a locality where there 

 is nothing but Red land, and which moreover has the bene- 

 fit of both monsoons. How then can you assert that the 

 plant will grow here in Black land, which only enjoys the 

 benefit of one scanty monsoon? I think that an experiment 

 of seven years, like yours at Coimbatore, is amply sufficient; 

 and I hope Government will send you out in the open plains 

 to try your skill in the Black and Red soils with only one 

 monsoon. If the culture of American Cotton is ever to confer 

 the expected benefit on India and England, we must get out 

 of the little oases at the foot of the hills, and spread it over 

 the length and breadth of the land. As regard the gins, the 

 band did not run properly, and the Ryot in charge made 

 them carry a leathern rope instead ; but I deny that either 

 of the gins were in any way injured. 



Dr. Wight's explanations, 3Oth January. You are 216 



correct in saying that in 1846 I recommended the purchase of 



J & . . Dr.Wighf's 



churka cleaned Cotton, in order that it might be tried toge- !*<*. ^th 

 ther with ginned Cotton by English spinners. This sugges- J^- 

 tion was approved both by the Madras Government and the p * 205 * 

 Court of Directors ; but at the same time the Court directed 

 that seed Cotton should be purchased by us, and then cleaned 

 by us, partly by the gin and partly by the churka : observ- 



