•'852.] DR. WIGHT'S FLtfAL COTTON REPOKT. 189 



uecess of Mr. Lees' experiment fell far short of his 

 anticipations, it has established beyond all doubt that 

 c he sandy soils along the Coromandel coast, aided by 

 'he humid atmosphere, are very suitable to the cultiv- 

 ation of American Cotton ; a fact which is daily be- 

 coming more firmly established by the success attend- 

 ing the well-conducted efforts of Messrs. Longshaws at 

 Trichindore in Tinnevelly, and of Mr. Kenrick at Ma* 

 Uras. In addition to a light assessment, these lands 

 )ossess a further advantage, which is important in a 

 I ropical climate, of being easily cultivated in all seasons, 

 Ivhether wet or dry. Consequently the cost of cultiv- 

 ation is materially lessened. Moreover, there is mois- 

 ture for the most part near the surface, and generally 

 Within reach of the roots of the plant, which have a 

 tendency to penetrate to a great depth in search of it. 

 K expect, therefore, that the crops will prove much more 

 iniform, inasmuch as they will be less liable to injury 

 3| Tom occasional protracted droughts. Giving due 

 i[ veight to these favourable circumstances, I anticipate 

 %hat crops averaging from 200 to 250 or even 300 lbs. 

 1 3er acre, will generally be realised ; at which rates, if 

 l[ :he Ryots can only be induced to engage heartily in 

 l! ]he cultivation of these foreign Cottons, the shores of 

 1 :he Carnatic will alone, in the course of a few years, be 

 'ible to produce many thousands of bales ; and, having 

 ":he advantage of cheap transit to the port of export, at 

 ' prices which will at all times enable the Indian to 

 Compete with the American grower, 

 o , 



Sir Henry Pottinger's Government condemns Dr. 282 

 Wight's lieport. — The foregoing Eeport of Dr. "Wight 

 }l Iid not meet with the approval of the Ma- Sir Henry 

 'iras Government. In fact Sir Henry Pottinger's 

 r Pottinger wrote a Minute violently con- m^is^ 

 - iemning it. Considering that it was the Eg^f^ 

 'result of experiments extending over eleven ' I} * 

 years, he pronounced it to be a meagre and unsatis- 

 f factory document, in which the statements and opinions 

 %ere alike unsupported by facts. 



