Coi respondence. 



346 



[Oct. 1906. 



has run out, what then? Proceed to cut the herring-bone on the second, while the 

 first is resting. Just so; and make four (out of the five) complete ringings of the 

 tree (4) which you were so keen to avoid ; or leave a space and waste it ; or trust 

 to the lacerated bark in 5 parallel sets of lines of the old cut to take up the flow of 

 sap ; or wait a bit till it can, and lose yield ? What bo ! Is there any thing 

 connected with spirals so drastic or wasteful as this ? I trow not— yet I make no 

 doubt that much swamp-gas will be belched forth to meet this new aspect of 

 the case. 



A captious critic might say that I have " an axe to grind " in my 

 advocacy of the spiral, in so far as I was a co-exhibi tor at the Rubber Exhibition of 

 several applications of the spiral system, which have been noticed in the press. 



While I have criticized the bases on which the Controller has drawn his 

 deductions as to bark excision and yield, it would be unfair to pass lightly over the 

 fact that he was the first to point out the loss of profit as well as the shock to the 

 tree, in too rapid excision of the bark, and the first to advocate shallow channelling 

 and deep pricking to release the latex ; and by these methods to ensure the more 

 rapid renewal of the bark. It is a moot point, however, whether pricking is not a 

 very dangerous operation unless carefully done— at least more dangerous than 

 paring deeply though thinly. The farrier's knife and adaptations of it seem to be 

 having a good look in again, chiefly, seemingly, because of the large task in trees a 

 cooly can do with it. I imagine this will entail a future compulsory rest for the 

 tree — and for tapping operations too ! 



Apologising for the length of this letter, I am, Sir, yours faithfully, 



ALEX. CAMERON 



September 29th. 



[Portions of the letter which do not bear upon the subject have been 

 omitted.— Ed. J 



"SPENCE COTTON" IN INDIA. 



Sir, — Since the publication in the press of my letter on the subject of 

 " Spence Cotton," I have received innumerable congratulations from all parts of India 

 for having been fortunate enough to discover a cotton indigenous to the country and 

 infinitely superior both in staple and appearance to that grown in the United States 

 of America. The immense importance of this and the wide field it opens in the 

 future for the extension of India's manufactures, I am glad to find, is recognised on 

 all sides. I therefore feel confident it will interest your readers to learn the 

 results of a trial of " Spence Cotton " in the mills of Bombay. This Messrs. C. N. 

 Wadia & Co., of the Centuary Mills Co., Ld., have been good enough to carry out for 

 me, and the following is their report :— 



Bombay, 11th September, 1906. 



J, R. Spence, Esq. 



" Dear Sir,— We have passed the four bags of ' Spence Cotton ' through the 

 processes of epinning and weaving, and have now the pleasure to forward you here- 

 with sample of cloth made therefrom, which we believe is the finest that has ever 

 been made in the power looms from Indian-grown cotton. The cloth is made from 

 40 3 warp and 50 3 wef t, and from this trial we are satisfied that the cotton will spin a 

 good 50 3 warp and 70* weft, from this cloth can be made in fine dhoties for which a 

 great demand exists in India, particularly on the Bengal side, thanks to the Swadeshi 

 movement. To be able to grow such cotton is one of the best things that the Indian 



