1844-45.] MR. SIMPSON ON NORTH CANARA. 



49 



furnished this year by the Marquis of Tweeddale, en- 

 tered more at detail into the character and prospects 

 of the Cotton experiments in Coimbatore. These cir- 

 cumstances will be considered in order. 



Mr, Simpson's report on the districts of North Ca- 76 

 nara, bordering on Bharwar. — In July, Mr gim 

 1844, Mr. Simpson was directed to proceed son's letter, 

 to Sirsee in North Canara on the western |oth Sept^ 

 side of the Madras Presidency, for the Return 

 purpose of reporting on the suitability of ( 1847 )>p- 3 78- 

 the soil and climate in the Soondah and Soopah ta- 

 looks for the cultivation of New Orleans Cotton. 

 These talooks bordered on the Cotton-growing dis- 

 trict of Dharwar in the Bombay Presidency, where 

 New Orleans Cotton appears to have been cultivated 

 with considerable success. Accordingly, Dr. Wight 

 considered that these localities on the very borders of 

 Bharwar would prove equally well adapted for the 

 American variety. 



Soondah : unfavourable from the presence of i 4 Eun- 77 

 kur." — Mr. Simpson considered that the soil of Soon- 

 dah was on the whole unfavourable ; there being in 

 its composition too much disintegrated laterite rock, 

 called by the Natives " Kunkur." Some lands, how- 

 ever, were free from this objection, and might yield 

 remunerative crops. 



Soopah: soil favourable but climate unfavourable. 78 

 — In the Soopah talook, Mr. Simpson thought that 

 some of the land about Mundgood and Hullial was 

 favourable to the growth of Cotton ; but such lands, 

 he said, could not be easily obtained ; and the few 

 that were available were covered with such immense 

 tufts of grass, that they could not be easily prepared. 

 Moreover the climate during the period of culture, 

 viz. from August to the end of March, was not fa- 

 vourable, as a cold wind prevailed which would pro- 

 bably prove injurious to young plants. A climate to 

 suit Cotton ought, in his opinion, to be quiet, moist, 

 and moderately warm. Again, the labouring people 

 in the district were chiefly emigrants, who came up 

 from the country on special contracts and then re- 



