204 COTTON IN THE MADRAS PRESIDENCY. [CHAP. YI. 



irrigation can be commanded, the landholders prefer 

 the cultivation of rice to the exclusion of almost every 

 other article. 



304 (7) Madura : detailed report from the Collector. — 



Madura is a Cotton-growing district, though not one 

 of the four great Cotton districts of the Presidency. 

 The average number of acres under this cultivation dur- 

 ing the last three years is about 76,000 acres. The fol- 

 lowing information respecting the culture was supplied 

 three or four years back by Mr. Hathaway, the Col- 

 Mr Hatha ^ ec ^ or °f Madura, in answer to an applica- 

 way's letter, tion for certain data connected with the 

 i858 June> growth of the Indian plant, which had been 

 forwarded to the late Court of Directors by 

 Dr. Mallet, Professor of Chemistry in the University of 

 Alabama, U.S. 



305 Soil. — " The soil in which the Cotton is raised is 

 Black, and of a slimy nature, being very retentive of 

 the moisture ; and if the periodical rains commence in 

 August and continue till January, this moisture will 

 penetrate the earth to a depth of two feet and a 

 half. By the commencement of January, the moist- 

 ure is reduced to a depth of four inches, and disap- 

 pears altogether by the 1st of March. In some parts 

 the Byots raise along with Cotton the following dry 

 crops — coriander, horse-gram, varagoo, cumboo; thenie, 

 dholl, and cummin. These thrive if the periodical rains 

 fall ; but many of the Ryots consider such a practice 

 of mixed sowing prejudicial ; as Cotton itself cannot be 

 grown two consecutive years in the same field. 



306 Geology and Topography. — "The district is not 

 naturally well drained, depending as it does upon the 

 freshes from the river and periodical rains, which are 

 very uncertain in their supply. The soil is generally 

 of an inferior description, being based in many places 

 upon rocks of black and white marble and granite, and 

 masses of gravel, which rise to within from one and a 

 half to five yards of the surface. It is also impregnated 

 with saltpetre. The height above the level of the sea 

 of that portion of the district in which Cotton is raised, 

 ranges from six to seven hundred feet. 



