1845-49.] DR. WIGHTS E0TJR YEARS IK COIMBATORE. 57 



carry out operations there. Here it will be advisable 

 to leave him, and return to Dr. Wight at Coimbatore. 

 Indeed, the story of the proceedings of the next four 

 years, that is, from 1845 to 1849, naturally divides it- 

 self into two parts ; and therefore the present chapter 

 will comprise a narrative of Dr. Wight's operations in 

 Coimbatore, whilst the succeeding chapter will contain 

 a similar narrative of Mr. Finnie's proceedings in Tin- 

 nevelly. 



Br. Wight's New Cotton Farms in Coimbatore, 90 

 1845: four points neglected in the previous experi- 

 ments. — During the four years that Dr. Wight and 

 the American Planters had been carrying ^. ^ 

 on the experimental culture at Coimbatore, letter, 26th S 

 four points had been neglected, which how- ^n. 1849. 

 ever were now duly apprehended : viz. — turn (1857), 



1st. The necessity for a rotation of crops. p * 185, 



2nd. The fertilizing effect of repeated ploughing 

 prior to sowing. 



3rd. The influence of both monsoons. 



4th. The superiority of Brown Sandy Loams (Eed 

 lands) for American Cotton. 



As regards the first and second points, the Native 

 method of cultivation had been superior to that pur- 

 sued by Dr. Wight. The Natives never drew two 

 consecutive crops of Cotton from the same land ; and 

 therefore were enabled to commence ploughing with the 

 May rains, a process which they termed cooling the 

 ground ; and thus they succeeded in getting their lands 

 into a good condition before the commencement of the 

 sowing season in October. Dr. Wight, on the other 

 hand, had been cultivating the same lands every year ; . 

 and consequently his picking season was going on 

 when he ought to have been ploughing ; and thus he 

 was deprived of the benefit of the best part of the rains, 

 and compelled to sow in what the Natives called " hot " 

 ground. As regarded the third point, his Farms had 

 been shut out from the south-west moonsoon by ranges 

 of hills ; and accordingly had no rain from May till 

 October. Again, his Farms had been situated at such 

 ( a distance from the east coast that the north-east 



