248 



COTTON -WOOL. 



seed received from the Commercial Superin- 

 tendent. 



In order to put the Committee in possession of 

 the fullest particulars relative to the experiment 

 made with these seeds, I have enclosed an account 

 of all the particulars which the Collectors were 

 ordered to report ; by a reference to which it 

 will be observed, that none of the cotton-seeds 

 planted in the low country in the Guntoor circar 

 came to perfection, few of them having even 

 come up. 



In the Palmaund district, although planted later 

 in the year than is usual, there was every prospect 

 of a fair crop ; but our hopes were disappointed 

 in consequence of an untimely heavy fall of rain 

 in the month of February, when the pods were 

 either burst or on the point of bursting. In the 

 inspection I made personally of several fields 

 planted with the cotton, I was particularly struck 

 with the great ravages which the insects had made 

 upon the leaves and flowers of these plants after 

 they had come to their full growth, whilst those of 

 the country cotton in the adjoining fields were left 

 untouched. Whether this arose from the soil 

 being badly prepared for their reception, or from 

 this particular plant being more susceptible of 

 attacks of this nature, I had not the means of 

 ascertaining. The native farmers considered both 

 the plant and its produce infinitely superior to that 

 commonly grown in the Palmaund country. 



The 



