September 2, 1889.J THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
COTTON CULTIVATION IN CEYLON. 
In our Agricultural Eeview preceded to the 
"Ceylon Handbook and Directory," a concise 
summary is afforded of the past history of cotton — 
both cultivation and manufacture — in Ceylon. It 
ought not to be a matter of surprise that so 
little attention was given during our prosperous 
coffee era, to cotton any more than to other new 
products. So long as coffee continued a profitable 
investment, neither planter nor merchant cared to be 
troubled with anything else, whether cotton, tea, or 
even cinchona or cardamoms. It is for instance a 
most remarkable fact that not even in the crisis 
created by the great American War from 1861 to 
1864, and the scarcity of the raw material which led 
to the Lancashire famine, and attracted the atten- 
tion of the civilised world, — that not even then 
did a Ceylon merchant or planter engage in the 
cultivation of what was by far the most valuable 
raw product of that day. Of course there was at 
first the anticipation that the blockade of the 
Southern States might be effeotually broken and 
the cotton stores let loose ; while later on, India 
did a great deal by extended cultivation to supply 
the cotton deficiency. Nevertheless, when we recall 
the fact that within twelve if not six months in 
1861-62, " Tinnevelly cotton" had risen in price 
from 2|d to close on Is 6d a lb. and the great 
fortunes which were cleared by several Colombo 
merchants, it is very extraordinary that more was 
not made of such capabilities as the island possessed 
for the production of cotton. It was generally 
received as correct at the time that the chief partners 
of Messrs. C. Shand & Co., Darley, Butler & Co., 
Alstons, Scott & Co., and J. C. Fowlie, — all Colombo 
mercantile houses in the Tinnevelly cotton trade, — 
cleared from £20,000 to £60,000 each by 
"cotton" within a short period, and yet not one of 
these gentlemen so far as we know, invested a 
rupee in the cultivation of the plant in Ceylon. 
" Coffee " alone engrossed attentiou, Mr. Alex. 
Gibson, for instance, putting much of his surplus 
profits into the series of Haputale coffee estates 
which gave him such splendid returns for many 
years ; and indeed it could very well be urged at 
the time that as labour was only too scarce for 
the recognised staple product of the island, there 
was none available to engage in a new and un- 
tried article like cotton. 
At the same time it could not be said that 
it was for want of information as to the 
capabilities of Ceylon that nothing was done 
in the " sixties." We have before us, as we write, 
a copy of a " Report on the Present Condition 
of Cotton Cultivation in Ceylon with Suggestions 
for its extension and encouragement by James 
Augustus Caley, f. b. s., " printed at Manchester 
in 1859. That was two years before Abraham 
Lincoln's election started the great Secession 
War aoross the Atlantic. Mr. Caley was an 
officer of our Public Works Department and his 
report was drawn up at Peradeniya in April 
1857. We are not going to extract from it today, 
further than to say that Mr. Caley anticipated 
great results for Ceylon and its people from the 
systematic cultivation of cotton by European 
capitalists. He pointed out fairly enough that 
although the natives grew coffee before the 
European planter came, yet it was only the 
example and stimulus of the latter which led to 
the development of the native coffee industry and 
an annual crop worth E5,000,000. In the same way 
Mr. Caley arged that if once a start were given 
to "cotton," a national industry would be developed 
of far more importance to Ceylon than ever coffee 
could be. For, not oontent with a report and 
practical notes on the cultivation, the valuation 
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of samples already produced, the character of 
the soil required, how to separate the seed, 
&c, Mr. Caley presented his readers with an 
elaborate table showing the " Cotton-growing 
districts in the island of Ceylon " giving a large 
amount of information under a series of useful 
headings for each of the six provinces, but more 
particularly for the Northern, Central and North- 
western Provinces. This was still further illustrated 
by an approximate sketch map of the cotton 
producing districts with indications such as only 
a road officer could afford, to represent the method 
of drawing the produce to the coast. In this way, 
Puttalam, Chilaw and a point between Kalpitiya 
and Mannar were to become great cotton ports ; 
while Hambantota and Batticaloa were not to be 
left far behind. Alas, for anticipations never 
realised ! And yet Mr. Caley was able to show 
that an annual crop of about 150,000 lb. of cotton 
was produced in Ceylon thirty years ago, and that 
in the Jaffna district alone there were nearly 1,000 
weavers fully employed. We mention so much 
in connection with Mr. Caley's tabulated infor- 
mation, from which we may make extracts later 
on, and we certainly trust that the interest 
lately taken in establishing a cotton-growing in- 
dustry will not subside until we are assured that 
for natives, — if not for European planters, — the culti- 
vation has become an important addition 
in many districts, to existing means of subsistence. 
At the same time we hope if the battle royal " will 
not prevent a good many planters as weil, from 
following the example of Mr. Blackett and giving 
the product a fair trial as an auxiliary, if not a 
principal article of culture. 
COTTON :— ME. CALEY'S EEPOET ON 
COTTON CULTIVATION IN CEYLON. 
The more we examine this document, the more 
are we impressed with the value of the informa- 
tion collected by the able Manxman who once 
adorned the ranks of the Public Works service of 
Ceylon. Mr. Caley was a meteorologist as well as 
a geologist — an amiable and accomplished gentle- 
tman and an honest public servant. From his notes 
we see that cotton flourishes in India in a dry and 
even an arid climate and our remarks recently on 
the rainfall map of Ceylon showed what an enormous 
proportion of the island is distinguished by such a 
climate. Largely co-extensive with this climatio 
zone (or zones rather, in the North-west and South- 
east of the island) is the occurrence of a coral and 
shell breecia, which, judging from the analysis of 
the Indian regur soil, is especially adapted for the 
growth of cotton. Those who meditate trying the 
cultivation must not forget that, besides the crop 
of wool, the seed is valuable for cattle feed, simply 
crushed and expressed into oil and manurial 
poouac. The stalks too are good for manure and 
fuel and have recently been found to yield a good 
fibre. On unirrigated soil in a dry climate, well 
cultivated cotton ought to yield 150 lb. per acre 
of wool. Irrigated, the produce ought to be 
at least doubled ; and if it is objected that 
the tanks have been constructed and restored 
specially for the production of rice, the answer 
i3 that food grains and cotton can well be 
grown together and harvested in succession. In 
Mr. Caley's time, 1857, there was no idea of local 
demand for a local manufactory, and so he con- 
templated Ceylon growing cotton to be absorbed 
into the Tuticorin market 1 The very opposito 
process is likely to take place, unless, as we hope, 
local growth, under the encouragement now offered, 
—seeds o£ the best varieties being provided and 
