1847-48.] MR. TINNIE's TOUR YEARS IN TINNEYELLT. 119 



Third season, 1847-48 : stage of the Cotton expert- 183 

 ment in Tinnevelly. — The general operations of Mr. 

 Minnie during his first two seasons at Tinnevelly do 

 not appear to have been attended with any particular 

 result ; beyond ascertaining the facts that American 

 Cotton would yield a good crop in localities enjoying 

 the benefit of both monsoons, and that the American 

 gin as then constructed could not be profitably em- 

 ployed in commercial transactions. Accordingly, he 

 now desired to extend the cultivation of American 

 Cotton, and to take steps for insuring the co-operation 

 of the manufacturers and merchants at home. 



Planting operations : successful culture of American 184 

 Cotton in the Courtallum valley. — It has already been 

 seen that the American Cotton grown during the second 

 season had only proved really successful in the Courtal- 

 lum valley, which enjoyed the benefit of both monsoons. 

 Accordingly, early in the third season, Mr. Mr Pinnie ' S 

 Finnie obtained the Government sanction letters, 24th 

 to establish a model plantation of about 2ndJun^ 

 a hundred acres in the same quarter. The B^' in f ar1, 

 cultivation was to be carried out upon (i857),pp. 

 lands held by Government, and under his 273 ' 274, 

 own superintendence, either by hired labour or by con- 

 tract at so much per acre ; but the cleaning, planting, 

 and preparation of the soil, were to be accomplished by 

 Native implements, as an example to the landholders, 

 and as an inducement for them to adopt the culture * 

 on their own account. At the same time Mr. Finnie 

 proposed to distribute seed to all who were willing to 

 cultivate the American Cotton, and to take the pro- 

 duce off their hands at a fixed rate per candy on Gov- 

 ernment account ; and he hoped that in time he should 

 be able to retire from the culture, and leave it entirely 

 in the hands of the people, merely taking the produce 

 at its value. He was perfectly satisfied that the Ame- 

 rican Cotton would grow well, wherever the land en- 

 joyed the benefit of both monsoons ; and he had not 

 the slightest doubt but that the people in the neigh- 

 bourhood of those favoured spots would Minutes of 



find the cultivation a profitable source of Consuita- 



