REMARKS ON THE NATURAL HISTORY OE COTTON. 183 
and tliat this produces a favourable effect on the cotton. If 
this should really be the case, it would point to the propriety of 
seeking for cotton-fields on the seacoast rather than in the 
interior of a country. 
As far as the soil is concerned, we find that the American 
and Indian species grow on very different soils. They both, 
however, agree in this point, that they contain a considerable 
quantity of organic matter, of a substance which is known com- 
monly as mould, or to the chemist as humus. This material, 
wherever present, constitutes the most valuable constituent of a 
soil. It is highly absorbent, and supplies the plants whose 
roots are inserted in it, with the carbonic acid and ammonia 
which they need for the growth of their tissues. The inorganic or 
mineral constituents of the American soils, according to analyses 
by Professor Solly, consist of sand, clay, iron, and carbonate 
and sulphate of lime. These are the kind of constituents that we 
should expect to find on the low coasts of the shores of Ame- 
rica. Such an analysis may guide in the selection of soils for 
the purposes of experimental cultivation. The Indian soils, on 
the other hand, on which the Indian species grow, are composed 
of the debris of trap rocks, of clay and limestone. It appears 
from experiments that have been made, that the Gossypivm bccr- 
la dense will not flourish on the Indian soils (fig. 11), whilst the 
Goss ijp hum herbaeeuvi will not flourish, or at least improve, when 
transplanted to American soils. This shows clearly the neces- 
sity of attending to the external circumstances which influence 
the growth of the cotton. This, we have seen, is not only 
necessary for the whole genus, but for each particular species. 
It is probable that the same circumstance applies to varieties, 
and that in the purchase and planting of seed, too much care 
cannot be taken to ascertain that the new circumstances of the 
plant should as nearly as possible resemble those in which it 
has previously flourished. 
The great question for this country to settle at the present 
day seems to be. How and where shall we secure cotton for 
our manufactures independent of America? The recan be no 
doubt that the wisest and most patriotic reply that can be made 
to this question is, “In our own colonies and dependencies.” 
Amongst these, India presents itself as capable of affording by 
far the largest supply ; and it is a question of great interest to 
ascertain why India has not furnished the market with larger 
and better supplies of cotton. At the present moment Indian 
cotton fetches the lowest price in the market. It has a short 
staple, and is not brought into the market so clean as that from 
other parts of the world. It is, however, a serviceable cotton. 
A longer stapled cotton might evidently be obtained by culti- 
vating the American species of cotton in soils adapted for its 
NO. II. o 
