805 
For limitation of species and varieties Parlatore’s specie 
dei cotoni (Florence, 1866,) and Todaro’s asservazioni su 
cotone may be consulted ; information on culture may be 
sought in Porter’s “ Tropical Agriculturist ” and in Mallet’s 
work on.“ Cotton” (London, 1862). 
There are many parts of our Colony, in which all these 
species of Gossypium could be cultivated, and where a fair 
or even prolific cotton crop may be obtained. Good cotton 
for instance has been produced on the Goulbourn Fiver, 
the Loddon, the Avoca and the hlurray Fivers, particularly 
in places where water could be applied. All cultivated 
kinds of Cotton-plants are either naturally perennials or 
become such in favorable climes, although they may be 
treated strictly as annuals. Some of them will indeed in 
particular instances grow to the height of 20 feet. The 
geographic parallels, between which cotton-culture is usually 
placed, are stretching in various girdles between the 36° 
N.L. and 36° S.L. The primary advantages of this important 
culture are : A return in a few months, comparatively easy 
field operations, simple and not laborious process of collect- 
ing the crop, and requirement of but little care in the 
use of the gin-machine in finally preparing the raw material 
for the market, the woolly covering of the seeds constituting 
the cotton of commerce. The oil obtained by pressure from 
the seeds is useful for various technic purposes, and the 
oil-cake can be used like most substances of similar kind 
for very fattening stable-feed. Sea Island Cotton was 
raised in splendid perfection in the northern parts of Vic- 
toria fully 15 years ago from seeds, extensively distributed 
by. the writer ; but the want of cheap labor has hitherto 
militated against the extensive cultivation of the Cotton, 
and so also against the culture of Tea and many other indus- 
trial plants. Cotton having been raised far away from the 
influence of the sea-air, it would be worthy of attempts, to 
naturalize various kinds of Cotton in the oases of our 
deserts, irrespective of regular culture. Our native Gossy- 
pium of the interior produces no fibre, worth collecting. 
Cotton-plants have a predilection for gently undulating or 
sloping ground, with light soil and a moderate supply of 
