4G COTTON IN THE MADBAS PEESIDENCY. [4TH SEASON. 



and yielded only a stunted sTinib and scanty produce. 

 He, on the other hand, ploughed his land in March and 

 April, and then left it fallow until the end of July, 

 when advantage was taken of any south-west rain that 

 might fall, to run the plough lightly over the land once 

 more, and then to commence sowing. The sowing, 

 however, should not take place before the end of July. 

 Then the seed germinates, and the plant struggles 

 against the south-west rains, gaining root without 

 vegetating too much. Care, however, should be taken 

 not to be too late, as too much rain would prove as pre- 

 judicial as too little. Meantime the process of weeding 

 and thinning ought to be carried on intermediately, and 

 be repeated occasionally. By this mode the plants will 

 acquire so great a degree of hardiness, as to be pre- 

 pared for any change ; and the showers previous to the' 

 north-east monsoon, and the rains which fell during 

 its continuance, will produce a good-sized plant about 

 three feet high, and yielding from 200 to 250 bolls. 



70 Drought and Grate the only dangers to be avoided. 

 — The only evils ■ which Mr. Wroughton had found 

 occasion to dread were the drought and grate. If the 

 grate entered the boll without being observed, it gradu- 

 ally consumed the seed ; but this evil could be avoided 

 by sufficient vigilance. The insect never attacks the 

 boll until the seed is ripe. Consequently, if its en- 

 trance be observed, the boll may be at once pulled off 

 and dried in the sun. Then the grate dies immediately, 

 whilst the bolls progress nearly as well on the ground 

 as on the tree. 



Question of Manure. — As regarded manure, Mr. 

 "Wroughton had discovered that it should not be ap- 

 plied to land in the same year that Cotton was culti- 

 vated upon it. In fact, he was very doubtful whether 

 manure was required at all, as deep ploughing often 

 repeated seemed to effect all that was needful. 



72 Three advantages possessed by India over America 

 in the cultivation of American Cotton. — Mr. "Wrough- 

 ton further remarked that three advantages were pos- 

 sessed by his district over America in the cultivation 

 of American Cotton ; viz. — 1st, There were fewer con- 



