COTTON-WOOL, 89 



local Revenue Authorities. There can be no Memoir on 



Cotton 



doubt that both excellent cotton, tobacco, salt- Cultivation, 



29 March 1819, 



petre, pepper, sugar, indigo, and opium, with 

 other articles, might be introduced and procured 

 in great quantities, of good quality and at moderate 

 prices, under Government control and attention, 

 and certainly, in such a state as must be well 

 adapted for exportation to Europe and China, pro- 

 ducing wealth to the cultivators, revenue to the 

 state, and a valuable export on Government ac- 

 count. This paper, however, is intended merely 

 to shew what may be effected in cotton, if spirit 

 and energy be displayed by the controlling powers. 

 The cotton at present cultivated in the territories 

 under Madras is not, generally speaking, of the 

 best kind : much of the old native cotton is poor 

 in produce and bad in staple. The most saleable 

 cotton-seed for India w ould be from New Orleans, 

 Brazil, and Bourbon, being the most profitable 

 kinds of cotton, white in colour, long stapled, and 

 producing the most wool from the pods, also the 

 easiest cleaned from seed, and the least troublesome 

 in cultivation. These seeds, however, require 

 after planting the nourishment of water during the 

 hot months, and should be watered twice every 

 week. Even the Surat and Ahmood cotton-seeds, 

 for a change, would be better than what at present 

 are used, which seem exhausted or worn out. In 

 agriculture, it is well known that a change of seed 

 is very beneficial in increasing both quantity and 



quality. 



