399 
Agricultural Society of Bengal and the cheering reports of the 
London brokers to whom trifling samples had been sent were 
doomed to a short life for although the cotton plants of almost 
every known species were tried and grew well still they yielded 
but few pods and these were for the most part mildewed and con- 
sequently not merchantable.” 
Administration Report 1862-1863 records that “ The cultivation 
of cotton has been carried on on a small scale in the Convict Garden 
and neighbourhood of the Brick Kiln, the plants appeared to grow 
most readily and to be perfectly healthy : in many instances how- 
ever the cotton was destroyed by a small worm by which the pod 
was piefced before it was sufficiently ripe to be plucked. 
“ In Province Wellesley several interesting experiments have been 
made with respect to the cultivation of cotton and though in many 
instances the trial proved unsuccessful the general result has in 
some respects been favourable and the idea of introducing the 
cultivation on a considerable scale ha* not been finally abandoned. 
One batch of cotton produced is described by London brokers as 
being very superior to any samples received from the East Indies 
and it furnished in parcels of two or three hundred bales likely to 
sell at high prices, the colour however not white enough the ends 
of the different flacks having a yellow tinge 
In Malacca the attempts to cultivate cotton were only partly 
successful. ” 
ENCOURAGEMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
AMONG THE NATIVES. 
Experimental Plantations Office, 
Batu Tiga, igth September , 1903. 
SIR, — With a view to stimulating the interest in agricultural 
matters among the natives of these States, I have the honour to 
bring to your notice a suggestion which I would ask you to be so 
good as to consider. 
2. It will, I think, be readily conceded, that agriculture — so far 
as it concerns the natives — is at the present time in a lamentable 
condition, and, so far as I can judge, shows little promise of im- 
provement. Having regard to the future prosperity of the countrv 
on the one hand, and the favourable conditions in the matter of 
climate and soil on the other, the present situation is, I submit, 
worthy of the most earnest consideration of the Government. 
3. The question which naturally arises, is, why is agriculture 
in such a backward state, and to this the general answer is that it 
is due to the indolence of the natives- themselves. Personally I am 
not altogether in agreement with this view, and after considering 
the matter as carefully as circumstances would permit during my 
term of service in this country, I have arrived at the conclusion, 
that the real cause oi the present state of affairs is due, at least to 
some extent, to : — 
