312 On the Cotton called " Nurma." [No. 124. 



tion of cultivating the Nurma plant. This abandonment seems to have 

 been very premature ; as it is most likely that a little more care and 

 perseverance would have insured success. The present demand for 

 Nurma cotton is, however, so very small, the trade in fine Mamoodies 

 being little or none, that no encouragement is afforded to the cultiva- 

 tors. The present supply of Nurma cotton from Cholai Muhasur 

 at Chanderee has been five years in the godowns there, and is far from 

 exhausted, and can be had there at three seers per Chanderee rupee. 



It will be observed, that the Nurma cotton is naturally of a dirty 

 yellowish colour ; it is also gathered very carelessly ; the wool adheres 

 strongly to the seed ; and the fibre though fine, is not long in the sta- 

 ple. It is vastly inferior to Sea Island cotton in every respect. 



I take the liberty of sending another specimen of common American 

 cotton grown by me at Gwalior last rains. This cotton, it will be seen, 

 is finer, and in every respect better than the Nurma cotton ; the Chan- 

 deree people themselves say so, and this common American cotton can 

 easily, under proper treatment, be introduced into India. The Nurma 

 cotton can no doubt be spread over the country in suitable places ; but 

 it will never equal the American cotton. The fineness of spinning is 

 no criterion, as the invisible thread of Chanderee has been far surpass- 

 ed by the Manchester machine spinning, where one pound of the best 

 cotton has been extended to 8 skeins of 180 yards each, but this degree 

 of fineness is not a desideratum in England, and has been effected only 

 as a curiosity. 



The labour, delay, and expense of the Chanderee Mamoodie manufac- 

 ture of any degree of fineness is exceedingly great. The finest Ma- 

 moodie piece of five yards costs Chanderee rupees 100; the breadth 

 being only half a yard, while for this sum ten pieces of fine Scotch Cam- 

 bric can be purchased even up-the-country of beautiful even texture, 

 7 yards long and a yard wide. 



The greatest trouble and time is taken in collecting skeins from the 

 different spinners of equal fineness. 



1st Query. — What is the kind of cotton called Nurma; is it of this 

 country or foreign ; and if foreign, in what way has it been introduced ; 

 who brought the seed first, and from what country ? 



1st Answer. — Nurma cotton is foreign according to universal belief 

 at Chanderee ; has always been brought to Chanderee from Cholai Ma- 



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