I837-] Remarks on the Cultivation of Cotton, 79 



IX.— Remarks on the Cultivation of Cotton ; principally with refer- 

 ence to the finer Foreign Varieties. — By Robert Wight, Esq., m. d, 

 #c. 8fc. §c. 



(Published by permission of the Madras Government) . 



The very general failure of nearly all the attempts made in 1832-3 to 

 introduce the cultivation of American and Bourbon cotton into the 

 Peninsula, partly owing to unfavourable seasons, partly to the bad 

 quality of the seed, and not unfrequently from the improper selection 

 of soils on which to sow, induced me to call the attention of the Agri- 

 cultural Society to the subject at its last meeting. I was in conse- 

 quence requested by it, to draw up for circulation, in connection with 

 its late liberal distribution of foreign seeds, such instructions for their 

 management as I might think would tend to secure greater success to 

 the attempts now making. In compliance with this request, 1 have 

 selected the following remarks from materials collected for a more 

 general report on the subject, and trust that they will prove the means 

 of preventing disappointment in some cases, and securing success in 

 others. They divide themselves into two parts or sections, namely, 

 first, an abstract of the most improved methods of culture as now 

 practised, and secondly, suggestions for an experimental enquiry, 

 which I think might be undertaken with a fair prospect of success, and 

 the chance of introducing very great improvements, as I feel quite 

 satisfied that in India we are yet far from having arrived at perfection 

 in this branch of Agriculture. 



With reference to the second section I invite communications, and to 

 those who, so far go along with me as either to repeat the experiments 

 I have now in progress, or who, acting on the same idea, think they 

 can more advantageously arrive at the result, though by a somewhat 

 different route, I will feel thankful for any information their enquiries 

 may elicit. 



With respect to the seeds either already distributed or in course of 

 distribution, I have ascertained that, with the exception of the Egyp- 

 tian, the Sea Island of 1836, and New Orleans of 1837 all are, upon 

 the whole, good; the Bourbon, and the Sea Island of 1837, excellent. 

 An easy and economical way of ascertaining their qiuilities is to 

 soak a few from 10 to 12 hours in water, and then sow them in slightly 

 shaded beds or boxes of loose moist earth : if good, they will general- 

 ly begin to show themselves in three or four days after sowing. Those 

 covered with a thick coat of fur are a little longer. 



