1852.] DR. WIGHT'S FINAL COTTON REPOBT. 203 



52 were on a still more extended scale ; and I have already CHAP, 

 dispatched ninety bales of Native grown American Cotton to ' 

 England, and expect before the end of the season to obtain 

 a great many more. 



Ryots adopt Dr, Wight's practice.-Hitherto the 268 

 Ryots have adopted one system of culture. 1st, Selecting 

 light sandy soils through which both the roots and moisture 

 can easily penetrate. 2nd, Sowing in rows instead of broad 

 cast. 3rd, Ploughing and otherwise cultivating the land 

 between the rows. The Natives have already discovered 

 and appreciated one great advantage in this last measure, 

 namely, the facility it aiFords for fallowing, whilst the crop 

 is still on the ground, by repeated ploughings between the 

 rows as a preparation for the next rotation. Fallowing is 

 much in vogue amongst the Natives, apparently because it 

 furnishes a cheap substitute for manuring. 



Refutation of the theory that the climate and soil 269 

 of Xndia are unfitted for American Cotton. The view, 

 that the climate and soil of India are so far inimical to the 

 constitution and habit of the American plant as to render 

 its naturalization impossible, is based on imperfect observa- 

 tion and on a comparison of dissimilar things. 



1st. The theory is founded on the assumption that 270 

 Indian Cotton has succeeded when the American has 

 failed. The opponents of the cultivation of American Cot- 

 ton in India assume that the Indian plant is less precarious 

 than the American plant, and that the Indian has generally 

 succeeded when the American has failed. This assumption 

 however is not only incorrect, but the real case is exactly 

 the reverse ; for whenever we had bad crops of American 

 Cotton, the crops of Native Cotton were much worse. I am 

 satisfied that, if during the last ten years equal areas had 

 been annually appropriated to each, the out-turn from the 



