1848-49.] DISCUSSION OF DE. WIGHT AND MR. F1NNIE. 147 



botany is concerned, I yield to your superior know- 

 ledge. Secondly, I may remark that I nave planted 

 the American Cotton in every possible way, but it all 

 looks wretched ; except some that is sown in Eed land 

 among palmyra trees, and those that are most pro- 

 tected by the hedge look the best. I merely state 

 these as facts, and base nothing on them either for or 

 against the success of the plant in this country. Both 

 the Red and Black lands, especially if well manured, 

 would produce Cotton, if at the same time they en- 

 joyed the climate of Mississippi. You say that this 

 locality (Tinnevelly and Madura) is more favourable 

 for the culture of American Cotton than the vicinity of 

 Coimbatore. But this is opposed to your own reports. 

 Here the soil is Black, and you have always asserted 

 that the Black land is unsuited for the American Cot- 

 ton ; and it was on this very account that you removed 

 your experimental farms to a locality where there is 

 nothing but Eed land, and which moreover has the 

 benefit of both monsoons, How then can you assert 

 that the plant will grow here in Black land, which only 

 enjoys the benefit of one scanty monsoon ? I think that 

 an experiment of seven years, like yours at Coimbatore, 

 is amply sufficient ; and I hope Grovernment will send 

 you out in the open plains to try your skill in the 

 Black and Eed soils with only one monsoon. If the 

 culture of American Cotton is ever to confer the 

 expected benefit on India and England, we must get 

 out of the little oases at the foot of the hills, and spread 

 ' it over the length and breadth of the land. As regard 

 \ the gins, the band did not run properly, and the Eyot 

 in charge made them carry a leathern rope instead ; 

 but I deny that either of the gins were in any way 

 ; injured. 



Br. Wight's explanations, 30th January. — You are 21G 



1 correct in saying that in 1846 I recom- Dr. wight's 

 s mended the purchase of churka-cleaned j^ili? 1 

 1 Cotton, in order that it might be tried ParLRetiim 

 ; together with ginned Cotton by English ( 1857 )>p- 205 - 

 ' spinners. This suggestion was approved both by the 

 : Madras Government and the Court of Directors ; but 



L 2 



