28 COTTON IN THE MADRAS PEBSIDBNCT. [CHAP. II. 



(1847), p. 23. In Coimbatore, for instance, tlie Eyots at 



Minuteof fij-gt had manifested a distaste for its cul- 



25th Apriir' tivation, because,— 1st, The seed contained 



E3tim°'''' ^° °^1' ^^^ therefore the cattle would not 



62! D™' ^' eat it ; * 2nd, The demand was fluctuating ; 



Seflist and 3rd, The thread was too fine for Na- 



Febriiary, tive manufacturers. But when it was 



1840.^ Ibid. ^^^^^ ^-^^^ ^^^ Bourbon Cotton produced 



double the crop per acre of the Indian 

 Cotton, then we are told that the cultivation began 

 to increase. But still the Eyot received no more for 

 Bourbon than for Indian ; and in fact only received 

 about 2jd. per lb., whilst the exporter realized from 

 6d. to lid. As regarded Indian Cotton, it was the 

 general opinion that it had greatly deteriorated. In 

 olden time very much stress was laid upon quality. 

 The Indian manufacturers were themselves the pur- 

 chasers, and gave prices according to quality. Then 

 again, when the Company received much of their 

 rents in Cotton, the Agent would receive none but 

 what was good and clean. Subsequently, however, 

 tlie Cotton was no longer bought direct by manufac- 

 turers, but by brokers ; and thus quantity rather than 

 quality became the primary object of the grower. It 

 may however be remarked generally, that the condi- 

 tion of Indian Cotton has been gradually improving 

 of late years. The Natives may be timid and sus- 

 picious, but they are just as alive to their own inter- 

 ests as any European. 

 37 Three Planters located in Tinnevelly, October, 1840. 

 TW!r,„to. „<> — The three American Planters reached 



Minutes of ti«- t . , ,i n 



Consuita- Madras just as the season tor sowing was 



* Captain Taylor has pointed ont that this ohjection is a fallacy, 

 and that cattle will eat the seed of American Cotton. He mentions 

 that on one occasion a Native Farmer urged the objection, when the 

 experiment was immediately tried by placing a basket of American 

 seed before a Buffalo. The Buffalo at once began to eat the seed, 

 and Captain Taylor states that the objection accordingly died away 

 in that quarter, and that the growth of American Cotton was con- 

 siderably extended. Essay on the Cultivation of Cotton in India. 

 Other authorities state that Buffaloes will not eat the American seed 

 until they are half starved. 



