CHAP. I.] GENEKAL YIEW. COTTON DISTRICTS. 13 



Cotton, and the extent to which the cultivation could 

 be carried, in the event of an increasing demand. 



The information obtained in reply to these Parliament 

 queries is exhibited on the table in the Ap- 36> 

 pendix, which was prepared by the Madras 37. 

 Board of Kevenue, but is now further simplified by the 

 reduction into English money and measures. Much 

 reliance, however, cannot be placed upon what is stated 

 as regards " average produce " and " cost of culture." 

 It has been stated that the Eyots will not Mr p mn i e > s 

 tell the truth about the first ; and as they letters, 30th 

 keep no accounts, they cannot furnish ac- andisthJan. 

 curate information upon the second point. j^um 1 ' 81 ' 1 ' 

 In the case of a poor Ryot, the cultivation (i857),p.27 

 is carried on by himself and family ; in the and 55, 

 case of a rich Ryot, it is carried on by his numerous 

 dependents, whom he merely feeds. " 



Review of the three improvements required in the 19 

 Indian Cotton. — Having thus glanced at the specialities 

 of the Madras Presidency, it will be necessary to review 

 the three great improvements which the late Company 

 endeavoured to effect in India with reference to Cotton : 

 viz., To introduce — 1st, A better variety ; 2nd, A bet- 

 ter cultivation ; and 3rd, A better method of cleaning. 



1st. Better variety of Cotton: general classiflca- 20 

 tion of Indian and American Cotton. — The Cotton 

 plant may be divided, for all the practical purposes 

 contemplated in the present work, into three species 

 only, which with their respective varieties may be thus 

 briefly indicated. 



1st. Indian Cotton, including the very short stapled 

 varieties of Bengal, Madras, and Surat. 



2nd. North American Cotton, including, first, the 

 short stapled varieties of New Orleans (Mexican), 

 West Indian (Bourbon?), Uplands, and Boweds ; and, 

 second, the long stapled variety of Sea Island Cotton, 

 which is said to have the longest, finest, and softest 

 fibre in the world. 



3rd. South American Cotton, including the long 

 stapled varieties of Pernambuco (Brazilian), Peruvian, 

 etc. 



