58 COTTOK 1*8 THE MADRAS PRESIDENCY. [CH. III. 



rains were short and scanty, and the north-east monsoon 

 was cold and dry, being unmoistened by the sea. As 

 regards the fourth point, Dr. Wight had now discovered 

 that the Sandy Brown Loams, generally included under 

 the head of Red land, were better adapted to the 

 growth of American Cotton than the ordinary Black 

 Cotton soil. He had never obtained more than 300 lbs. 

 of seed Cotton per acre from the Black lands, whilst 

 he had repeatedly obtained 500 lbs., and once 1000 lbs., 

 from the Sandy Brown Loams ; and indeed it was 

 from this latter soil that Mr. Wroughton had once 

 obtained 1100 lbs. per acre. 



Eesults of four successive seasons on a new Farm, 

 1845-49. — Under the circumstances mentioned above, 

 Dr. Wight removed to a locality, about ten miles to 

 the south of his old Farm, and to a spot which was 

 out of the influence of the hills, and consequently open 

 to the south-west monsoon. The results of the four 

 seasons may be stated in a few words. During 1845-46, 

 one field which he ploughed in May, and which con- 

 sequently was well prepared for sowing in July, pro- 

 duced a crop of nearly 1000 lbs. per acre. Other fields 

 of inferior quality produced crops of 500 lbs. per acre. 

 Other fields however, which could not be ploughed 

 before September, and which were sowed immediately 

 after ploughing, failed to produce a good crop. The 

 second season (1846-47) was a failure in consequence 

 of the failure of both monsoons. The south-west 

 monsoon did not commence before J une, and then the 

 showers were of very short duration ; whilst from J une 

 until February not a drop of rain fell. In a word, the 

 whole country was burnt up, and the total fall of rain 

 during the year 1846 only amounted to six inches and 

 a half, instead of the usual average of from twenty- six 

 to thirty inches. The result was of course a very 

 short crop. The third season (1847-48) proved a 

 partial failure in consequence of extreme wet. The 

 south-west monsoon commenced in April with copious 

 showers. The land was thus ploughed early, the seed 

 was sown at the end of June and beginning of July, 

 and up to the middle of October the crops were un- 



