August i, 1889.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
127 
decoction and infusion, but the doses and the propor- 
tions are not furnished. Taken in large doses it is 
said to act as an emetic. 
The mode of administration adopted by me is the 
following, namely: two ounces of the plant are in- 
fused for half-an-honr in a pint of boiling water and 
strained. This quantity is administered in divided doses 
to one patient in the 24 hours. 
The practitioners oFN<tive Medicine in Ceylon con- 
sider it as one of the best medicines in dropsy, and 
give it in the form of a decoction, and locally as a 
fomentation in inflammation and rheumatism. 
Then follow the results obtained in nine cases in 
which the use of the infusion of Boerhaava diffusa was 
indicated.— Christy's "New Commercial Plants <$r Drugs." 
♦ 
COTTON CULTIVATION. 
The cultivation of cotton is not a new industry 
in Ceylon. It was carried on to a large exteut in 
former days, and was only allowed to die out be- 
cause, owing to various reasons, there came to be 
no sufficient market for the produce. This difficulty 
has been removed by the establishment of a Company 
in Colombo, which agrees to buy all the cotton that 
can be produced. The soil and climate of a great 
part of Ceylon appear to be well adopted to the 
growth of cotton ; the cultivation is an extremely 
easy one ; and the plucking of the pods and the 
removing of the sted from them will give employ- 
ment to the women and children of the village. There 
is little doubt that cotton cultivation will pay ; and 
there is no reason why every village garden and a 
large proportion of cbena lands should not be planted 
with it. Now that coffee has died out, it is very 
important that the villager should have some other 
product to plant which will bring him money. 
Cotton seed will be provided free of charge at 
every kachcheri to any native cultivator who applies 
for it, and the first outlay for the cultivation will 
thus be materially reduced. All cotton grown by 
the villager will be paid for at a fair price at the 
nearest large village to his land. 
Some hints for cultivating cotton and some results 
of actual experiments are given below. It must be 
clearly understood that these are not final. When 
the cultivation has been carried on for a year or two 
in many different places, it will be much easier to 
draw up a set of final rules on the subject. But 
if the rules now given are adhered to, and if the 
villager will follow these hints and try the experi- 
ment, he can at least lose nothing, and it is fairly 
certain he will gain a great deal. 
The species of cotton recommended for cultivation 
are the American (including Sea Island), Egyptian and 
Peruvian (ordinary native) cotton. 
'\Kapu," or Peruvian Cotton. — Villagers who know 
this cotton should give it there careful attention, 
as a ready market can at all times now be found 
for it. This variety of cotton grows for several years, 
gives the least trouble of all the varieties, and will 
grow in almost any situation. 
There appears at present to be no reason why dry 
grains and cotton should not be cultivated together 
on the same land. The advisability of doing so must, 
however, be tasted by experience. 
I.— Hints for Cultivation. 
(Applicable to American and Epjptian Cotton.) 
1. The richer the soil the better. Avoid shade. 
Oheua lau i, cv. n though steep and rocky, is suitable. 
2. The seed being very oily loses its vitality quickly. 
Do not allow it to become damp, but keep it spread 
out in a coot place. Sow as soou as possible after 
its receipt, hut wait for a wet day. 
3. It is of primary importance to sow at such a 
time as will result in the crop being ready for pick- 
ing in dry weather; secon.larily, the seed' must be 
planted on a showery day. 
4. Two pounds of seed are sufficient to sow 
ono aore. 
5. Plant the seed in places 3 ft. by 3 ft. or 3 ft. 
by 4 ft. apart. Before planting break up each place 
with a fork or momoti, 4 to 5 in. deep and 6 to 
8 in. square. Plant two seeds, 3 to 4- in. apart, in 
each place at a depth of not more than 1 in. 
6. If one out of every two seeds grows, there will 
then be 4,800 plants to an acre if planted 3 ft. by 
4 ft.; 3,600 plants to an acre if planted 3 ft. by 4 ft. 
7. In those parts of the Island affected by the 
south-west monsoon the season for sowing is approxi- 
mately from July 1 to August 15, but in those 
other parts depending on the north-east monsoon for 
agricultural operations, the proper season for sow- 
iug will be when those rains set in. The crop will 
be ready from January 1 onwards. The American 
variety ripens two to three weeks earlier than the 
Egyptian. 
8. Pick the cotton when the capsules burst, leav- 
ing the capsules on the tree. 
9. Thoroughly dry the cotton in the sun, clean it, 
and separate it from the seed. 
10. The cotton should be separated from the seed 
by a gin, which is easily worked, and very cheap. 
11. Be very careful not to break up the seeds in 
^he cotton. 
II. — Results. 
1. Unoleaned cotton of 612 pods (Americau va- 
riety) weighed 3 lb. 8 oz. It was then separated 
from the seed: the weight of the seed was 2 lb. 
12 oz., while the weisht of the cotton was 12 oz. : 
therefore (deducting 12 pods for wastage) 50 pods 
produce 1 oz. clean cotoon. 
2. 4,433 seeds (American variety) weighed 1 lb. 
One acre, planted 3 ft. by 4 ft., two seeds in each 
place, requires 7,200 seeds; therefore two pounds of 
seed are sufficient to plant one acre. 
3. The largest number of pods counted on one 
tree was 130. The largest number of pods counted 
on two trees planted in one hole was 128 x 104=232. 
4. Thirty pods are a very low and safe estimate 
of the average produce of each tree. Assuming that 
on one acre planted 3 ft. by 4 ft., two seeds in each 
hole, only one out of every two seeds grows, we have 
3,600 plants T 30 pods=108,000 pods=2,160 oz —1351b. 
clean cotton. 
Instructions to Intending Cotton Growers 
in Natal.- 
(Issued by the Natal Chamber of Commerce.) 
1. Plough, dig or hoe, as deeply as possible, the land 
intended for cotton, so as to admit the air thoroughly. 
2. Sow the seed by string line, which makes hoeing 
and weeding easier. The, rows should be five feet 
asunder. Drop two or three cotton seeds together at 
intervals of four feet along the lines. The seed need 
not be buried deeply, but should be covered lightly 
with mould. Care should be taken not to trample 
on the spot where ohe seed is deposited. Sow from 
the middle of September to the middle of November. 
3. The plants will appear above the ground in from 
seven to ten days, and when they have four distinct 
leaves thin them, leaving the strongest of each group 
of three. 
4. Weed carefully for the first six weeks or two 
months and draw up the earth about the stems until 
the .blossoms appear. 
5. When the plants are from six weeks to two months 
old nip off about an inch from top of each shoot. 
This will cause the plant to throw out a greater 
number of branches, and consequently it will bear a 
larger crop. Repeat this process a second and even 
a third ti uein the first season. 
6. The blossoms usually appear in about 80 days, and 
the pods arrive at maturity about three mouths after 
sowing. 
7. After the first year it is advisable to have an 
undergrowth of vegetables. These in high winds keep 
the dust from soiling the cottou when the pods begin 
to open. If soiled the cotton loses greatly in value. — 
Natal Mercury. 
