1845-49.] DE. WIGHT'S FOTTE YEARS IN COIMBATOEE. 59 



usuallv fine. Then the north-east monsoon, ■which had 

 proved a failure the preceding year, brought a rain 

 which never ceased for three days together, until nearly 

 the end of December. Accordingly much of the large 

 crop was altogether lost, and much of that which was 

 harvested was much injured. Of the fourth season 

 (1848-49) Dr. Wight merely remarks that the crop 

 was small. Circumstances, which wUl be recorded in 

 the fifth chapter, led to his temporary withdrawal in 

 1849. The more particular results worked out during 

 the four years will now be exhibited in the following 

 paragraphs. 



Suggestions of the Manchester Association respect- 92 

 ing sowing in May and on low soils. — In 1847, the 

 Manchester Association congratulated Dr. jj^. ^gpi^j^ji 

 Wight upon the success which he had Turner's 

 attained, but considered that he might PebTisw. 

 achieve still greater triumphs: by sowing: ^'"''- E«tnm 

 earner m the year, and by cultivating a 

 lower soil. They said that his New Orleans Cotton 

 was the best that had ever been grown in India, and 

 this they attributed to his having sown in June and 

 July, instead of ia September and October. But why 

 not sow in May f The New Orleans plant in its native 

 home in Mexico grows spontaneously, or, in. other 

 words, propagates itself; thus showing that its seeds 

 ought to be in the ground at the commencement of the 

 rains, — a season which corresponds in the district of 

 Coimbatore to the commencement of the south-west 

 monsoon in the month of May. Again, the New Or- 

 leans plant reaches its greatest perfection, and yields 

 the best staple, in the low lands of tropical Mexico. 

 When taken from the tropics and grown in the low 

 lands of the United States, its staple is somewhat im- 

 paired, but stUl is better than Dr. Wight's Cotton ; in 

 other words, it is rather longer, more silky, and less 

 harsh. Why not then sow New Orleans Cotton in 

 India at a season corresponding to its own spontane- 

 ous sowing season in Mexico ? — and why not sow it on 

 low lands near the coast, corresponding to the low 

 lands where it reaches its greatest perfection ? 



