CHAPTEE II. 



FOUR YEARS OF EXPERIMENTAL CULTURE UNDER BR. WIGHT 

 AND THE AMERICAN PLANTERS, 1841 TO 1845. 



(31.) Stoppage of demand for Indian Muslins and Calicoes, but grow- 

 ing demand for Cotton Wool. — (32.) Early efforts to extend and improve 

 Indian Cotton. — (33.) Introduction of Bourbon Cotton into the Madras 

 Presidency. — (34.) Mr. Metcalfe, an American Cotton cleaner, sent to the 

 Presidency, 1813: efforts of the Madras Government, 1819— 1836.— (35.) 

 Ten American Planters sent to India, 1840. — (36.) Prevailing opinions 

 upon Cotton Culture in the Madras Presidency. — (37.) Three Planters 

 located in Tinnevelly, October, 1840. — (38.) Contemplated removal of the 

 Planters to the neighbourhood of Mr. Fischer's establishment at Salem. — 

 (39.) First Season, 1841-42: commenced under Captain Hughes. — (40.) 

 Reported failure in consequence of a heavy Monsoon, January, 1842. — 

 (41.) Sudden renovation of the crop : Dr. Wight succeeds Captain 

 Hughes, February. — (42.) Relative effects of the Monsoon, the Drought, 

 and the Rain, upon the Cotton shrub : difference between the Red and 

 Black soils.— (43.) Results of the Season 1841-42.— (44.) Dr. Wight's 

 plan of operations : introduction of American Culture more important 

 than that of American Cotton. — (45.) Early trials of the American saw gin. 

 — (46.) Second Season, 1842-43 : arrangement of the Four Experimental 

 Farms. — (47.) Three varieties of land, viz., Black, Red, and Alluvial. — 

 (48.) Distribution of soil amongst the Four Farms : Method of Cultivation. 



DR. WIGHT'S "NOTES ON AMERICAN COTTON CULTURE AS PRACTISED 

 ON THE GOVERNMENT COTTON FARMS." 



(49.) Drill husbandry : land ploughed and cast in ridges, eight or ten 

 inches high, at intervals of about five feet. — (50.) Sowing in a furrow of 

 about two inches deep along the centre of each ridge.— (51.) Scraping 

 out of superfluous plants and weeds. — (52.) Banking up the ridges, first 

 with the plough and afterwards with the hoe. — (53.) Keeping down ex- 

 traneous vegetation until the crop ripens. — (54.) Native ploughs and 

 American ploughs compared : question of whether American Cotton would 

 thrive without ridging. 



(55.) Results of the Second Season on the Black, Red, and Alluvial 

 soils, 1842-43. — (56.) Comparison of the growth of the Indian, New Or- 

 leans, and Bourbon Cotton. — (57.) Reports of the English Brokers on Dr. 

 Wight's Cotton.— (58.) Oopum (Indian) Cotton.— (59.) New Orleans.— (60.) 

 Bourbon.— (61.) Third Season, 1843-44 : state of the Cotton Farms, Gins, 

 and Gin-house. — (62.) Unfavourable results : their causes. — (63.) Com- 

 parison of the Crops of the third Season with those of the second. — (64.) 

 Fourth Season, 1844-45 : experiment of treating the plant as a biennial. — 

 (65 ) Comparative produce of the four Seasons. — (66.) General Results of 



