185362.] CAENATIC : EIGHT DISTRICTS. 225 



tlement, are expected to promote the extension of the culti- CHAP. 



vation, as they are considerably lower than the present rate 1__ 



of Assessment. " Cotton however," we are told, " requires more 

 " care, labour, and consequently more expense, than almost 

 " any other description of crop ; and unless there is the in- 

 " ducement of soon realizing a remunerative price, the Ryot 

 " will choose any other kind of cultivation in preference." 

 Mr. McDonnell also drew attention to a report on the Cot- 

 ton cultivation in Trichinopoly, drawn up by Mr. Travers 

 the Collector in 1812. The following extract, relative to 

 the mode of cultivation, is worthy of record. " The ground 

 " is first ploughed up. Afterwards, a herd of cattle, or a 

 " flock of sheep, is kept on the land for two or three days 

 " to manure it. The ground is then again ploughed three 

 " times more ; and the seed, which has been dipped in a pre- 

 " paration made of buffaloes' dung, salt water, and ashes, is 

 " then sown, and the ground again lightly turned up to 

 " cover the seed. When the plant has reached the height 

 " of one span, the earth is carefully and very lightly plough- 

 " ed up between the plants, and the grass that has grown is 

 " removed. After this, as occasion may require, the weeds 

 " and grass are continued to be rooted up until the plants 

 " have reached maturity, when the Cotton is plucked. " 



(6) Tanjore: Soil not favourable without irriga- 308 

 tion, and with irrigation the cultivation of rice is 



Mr.Oadell's 



preferred. The quantity of Cotton grown in this Dis- 

 trict falls far short of even the requirements of local 

 consumption, and accordingly large quantities are brought 

 from the Southern Districts of Madura and Tinnevelly to 

 meet the deficiency. Repeated attempts have been made 



letter, 31st 



to improve the quality of the Cotton grown, and to extend Jan - 186 *- 

 its cultivation, but they have hitherto proved unsuccess- P* in, 

 ful; and the land under Cotton crop is at the present 



time less than six hundred acres, being less than one fourth 



E 1 



