84 



COTTON-WOOL. 



Letter from shewD, that little or no improvement can be con- 

 Madras Board ^ ^ ^ ^ 

 of Trade, fidentiv lookcd for in the quality of the Ceded 



17 May 1819. n^i • i i • 



Districts' cotton. The inhabitants appear to be 

 satisfied with the price they generally obtain for 

 it in its ordinary state, and shew no great dis- 

 position to improve its worth by additional care 

 and trouble. This indifference and indolence of 

 habit operates still more prejudicially in regard to 

 the Ceded Districts' cotton, from the natural cha- 

 racter of the article which adheres unusually close 

 both to pod and seed. 



3. With the view, however, of ascertaining by 

 practical experiment the effect that may be pro- 

 duced by a higher price, we propose instructing 

 the Resident to cause a certain quantity to be 

 carefully picked and cleaned, and to offer a sum 

 as far as 26 pagodas (rupees 91) per candy, for 

 any quantity that may be brought of equal quality 

 with that so prepared. 



4. The above-mentioned difficulties seem to 

 point out the expediency of introducing another 

 species of cotton, which is free from the natural 

 defect of Ceded Districts' cotton, and at the same 

 time as hardy and productive as the plant of the 

 country. The Board see no immediate prospect 

 of procuring any part of the cotton investment in 

 a fit state for the British market from the Ceded 

 Districts. The article itself has proved, however, 

 a profitable remittance to China, and notwith- 

 standing its comparative inferiority, seems to 



have 



