1853-62.] CEKTEAL TABLE-LAND : TIYE DISTRICTS. 217 



lands, and Bed gravel is found at about half to one 

 yard below the ground in the other two descriptions of 

 soil. The distance to this district from the eastern 

 coast is about 300 miles, and from the western coast 

 200 miles ; and its situation is about 1500 feet above 

 the level of the sea, and is naturally well drained. 



Climate. — " In this inland district the rain-fall is 333 

 very small, generally about 20 to 30 inches at most, 

 and the climate is very dry. The seasons for rain are 

 from May to August, and secondly from September to 

 the 15th November. The quantity of rain that fell 

 during the last five years is shown in the foot note. # 

 The Cotton lands are entirely dependent upon the fall 

 of rain, as irrigation is not employed. 



Seed used and whence obtained. — " The kind of seed 334 

 used, is that of the Cotton grown in this district. 



Nature and character of the Cotton. — " The Cotton 335 

 of this district is of the herbaceous character, or small 

 shrubs. The height of the plant varies from two and a 

 half to one and a half feet. Its branches are spread 

 over a foot, and the seed sown is two or three inches 

 apart in the same row, but between each row a space 

 of about one foot and a half is left. "When Cotton and 

 corraloo are sown together, one row of Cotton is planted 

 for every two rows of corraloo, and a space of about 

 two feet is left between each line. The corraloo is 

 harvested earlier than the Cotton, which comes to ma- 

 turity a month afterwards. In the best lands, the root 

 spreads one to one and a half feet in depth ; but in 

 ordinary land not deeper than one foot or even less ; 

 laterally it does not spread more than from three to 

 four inches. 



Method of cultivation, time of flowering', and 336 

 weight of Cotton wool per acre, &c. — "As already 



* Early rains. Later rains. 



Inches. Inches. 



1852- 53 . . . . 7*5 21-3 



1853- 54 . . . . 7-1 2-3 



1854- 55 . . ..5 1 10-9 



1855- 56 . . . . 2 3 15 3 



1856- 57 . . . . 14- . . . . . . 6-4 



