185362.] MALABAR COAST : THREE DISTRICTS. 257 



Manure. " No manure is used, nor any Cotton seed re- CHAP. 



turned to the soil. The stalks are not allowed to decay on 1_ 



the ground. They are always plucked up and used by the 361 

 Natives as firewood. 



Diseases. " With respect to Native Cotton, in November 362 

 and December the roots are liable to be attacked by a worm 

 or grub, which kills the plant. In December too, the 

 flowers and leaves are sometimes destroyed by a blight. 

 Should too strong an east wind blow in January, February 

 or March, the leaves fall, the plants droop, and the pods grow 

 crooked. Cloudy rainy weather, when the pods burst spoils 

 them. In American Cotton, the flowers are apt to be ex- 

 tensively destroyed by two beetles, of the genera cetonia and 

 cantharis, that feed upon them ; the pods, when ripening, 

 are liable to be pierced by an insect, the larva of which, feeds 

 on the inside ; so that when they open, a large portion of 

 the wool is stained rusty red and spoilt." 



4th, Western strip or Malabar coast : three districts. 363 



The narrow strip of land between the western ghauts and 

 Indian Ocean, is known by the general name of Malabar, 

 and stretches from the little Native state of Cochin on the 

 South, northwards to the frontiers of the Bombay Presi- Parag> 7< 

 dency. The physical features of this region, which is pecu- 10I ' 102> 

 liarly open to the influence of the South-west monsoon, have 

 already been described ; as well as the results of the Cotton 78 

 exploring expedition of Mr. Simpson, the American planter. 

 The country is divided into three districts ; viz. (1) North 

 Canara ; (2) South Canara ; (3) Malabar. 



(1) North Canara: not a Cotton producing District. 364 



North Canara is not at present a Cotton producing dis- 

 trict. The port of Coomptah on the coast is the outlet for 



nearly all the Cotton exported from Bellary and the Nizam's 



i 1 



