JULY—SEPT. 1"857.] Graphite in Travmicore. 
(1st.) Nature and depth of the soil as to dryness or moisture reten- 
tiveness, what other crops are grown in it, is it deemed very fertile, any 
special weeds ? 
(2d,) Geological and topographical character of the District, nature 
of underlying rock, level above the sea, well or ill-drained naturally ? 
(3d.) Climate (especially as regards r«//25, their amount and the sea- 
sons at -sYhich they fall), is Irrigation employed, when and how long in the 
year ? 
(4th.) Kind of seed used and whence obtained. 
(5th.) General charactei*of plant whether herbaceous or tree cotton ? 
(6th.) Average height of plant and spread of branches, distances 
from plant to plaiU ? 
(7th.) Average'spread of roots in depth and laterally ? 
(8th.) Mode of cultivation, time of planting, distance at whkh 
plants are placed apart, amounts of lahor bestowed upon weeding during 
growth time, of flowering time, of picking, duration of picking, &c., gin- 
ned" cotton fibre produced per acre, weight produced per hand employed- 
(9th.) Manure used, if any Colton seed retiurned to the soil. Stalks 
allowed to decay on the field. 
(10th.) Diseases or ravages of insects to which the plant is subject. 
Some samples of the ginned" cotton ready for market might be use- 
ful as affording by comparison with the raw fibre an idea of the degree of 
care with which the seed is separated. The value of the fibre depends to 
a very great extent upon the attention given to this mechanical prepara^ 
tion. 
Graphite in Travancore. 
(Extract of a letter dated Trevandrum, 16th July 1857, from Lieut, General W. 
CuLLEN, Resident at Travancore and Cochin to E. Maltby, Esq., Acting 
Chief Secretary to GoTernment, Fort Saint George ) 
*' In continuation of former^' communications on the existence of 
Graphite in Travancore, I have now the honor to report that I 
have just returned from a visit to the locality from whence the 
specimens were procured by me, though presented by Mr. John 
Loch, for the Exhibition in London in 1851 ; and I have brought 
in with me upwards of a ton of the ore, and out of which I ex- 
* Vide p. 257, Vol. I. Ho. H. N. S. of this Journal. - Ed. 
