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Remarks on the Cultivation of Cotton, 



[July 



made known, and, independent of the advantages enumerated above as 

 accruing to agricultural and commercial operations, the Government is 

 bestowing a great and lasting benefit on science by his employment 

 m his present capacity — which, we earnestly hope, he will be perma- 

 nently fixed in. This expression of our desire we know will be res- 

 ponded to by the world of Science in Europe, where the exertions of 

 Dr. "Wight are most eagerly watched and duly appreciated. 



But to return to the paper on the cultivation of cotton. The first 

 part has been sent in the form of a Circular to the Collectors of dis- 

 tricts, and the supplement, which has just been communicated to us, 

 will be added thereto.— Editor.] 



Supplement. — I have been favoured with two valuable letters from 

 Mr. Fischer of Salem, the only European in these provinces personally 

 engaged on a laige scale in cotton agriculture. These letters, so far as 

 they refer to that subject, I have thought it advisable to publish ; partly 

 for the sake of the information they convey, and partly on account of 

 the opportunity they furnish of extending my own remarks to some 

 points not touched upon in the foregoing remarks. 



" With regard to your Cotton Circular I do not think I have much 

 to say on it. Among the causes of failure of the attempts in 1832-33, 

 you omit to mention two main ones, viz. the improvidence of Govern- 

 ment, in keeping the seeds lying in their godowns, until they were 

 almost entirely spoiled, and in distributing them in an injudicious 

 manner. You are besides wrong as to the season for sowing the Bour- 

 bon and other finer cottons. They should be sown as soon after the 

 rains of April and May as possible, and may be sown till August ; but 

 to do it after that would ensure failure. The Bourbon cotton, and all 

 the American kinds I have tried, yield three crops a year, and last for 

 five or six years. One crop from the April and May rains ; a second 

 from the July and August rains, and a third crop after the monsoon. 

 This last is the chief crop — I am speaking of old plants ; new plants 

 sown in May do not yield till the following February. The ryots here- 

 abouts do not care about soaking the seed before sowing, but they are 

 particular in cleaning it of its adhering wool.* This is done by mix- 

 ing it in a thick solution of cow-dung, drying it in the sun, and then 

 rubbing it between the palms of the hands. 



" I have been particular in destroying all my Georgian or Upland 

 cotton seed plantations, because I found the plants not so productive 



* This should he attended to : many of the small quantity of seed sown hy me were 

 lost, owing to the woolly fur not having heen removed previous to sowing.— R. W. 



