april — sept. 1859.] Proceedings. 



219 



Arrangements were also made whereby copies of them in a sepa- 

 rate form were procured and forwarded to all Members gratis. 

 The Proceedings of the Society have also been included among 

 those which it is proposed to insert in the Madras Journal of Lite- 

 rature and Science where they will find a permanent record of easy 

 access. 



It is hoped that the foregoing may be productive of increased 

 interest on the part of the public in the working of the Societv, 

 and the Committee* would receive with much pleasure for consider- 

 ation at their Meetings any notes or papers treating of practical 

 subjects or containing suggestions or facts relative to the cultiva- 

 tion of useful or ornamental plants. 



Although it is not possible to recapitulate all the subjects which 

 have engaged the attention of the Committee during the past 18 

 months, and which may be regarded as of general interest, yet they 

 desire to allude more particularly to those points relative to the 

 cultivation of Cotton which have come before them. Two tons of 

 New Orleans Cotton seed, sent out to the Society by the Manches- 

 ter Cotton Supply Association, were transferred to Government 

 with the suggestion that quantities of seeds might be transferred 

 gratis at Government expense to the Collectors of the several dis- 

 tricts of the Presidency with a view to their being placed, without 

 charge, at the disposal of any persons anxious to introduce the cul- 

 tivation of this valuable species of exotic cotton. A pamphlet de- 

 tailing the method of cultivation of it was also recommended to be 

 published and widely circulated at Government expense. Both 

 these recommendations have been approved by Government and 

 are now being carried out. The Committee hope to have the plea- 

 sure of hereafter reporting favorably upon the result of the attempt, 

 thus made, to naturalize one of the most productive species of this 

 valuable plant. On this latter point, the Committee desire to refer 

 to the very interesting letter contained in their Proceedings of the 

 15th of June in which Mr. Thwaites advocates that experiments 

 should be made systematically of crossing the best kinds of native 

 Cotton with " Bourbon," Sea Island" and " New Orleans' ' Cot- 

 ton. The Committee having given their full consideration to this 

 suggestion consider it to be of a most valuable description and 

 purpose republishing the letter alluded to, together with a memo- 



