ON  COTTON  CULTURE  IN  INDIA. 
341 
and  drought-enduring  plant,  withstands  both  the  suddenness  and 
the  violence  of  the  changes  ;  but  then  it  only  produces  a  short- 
stapled,  woolly  cotton." 
Whatever,  therefore,  may  be  the  result  of  judicious  culture  in 
special  localities,  the  prospects  of  obtaining  a  large  supply  of 
American  cotton  of  Indian  growth  are  very  doubtful.    But  it  is 
certain  that  native  Indian  cotton  might  be  obtained  of  a  quality 
and  at  a  price  to  compete  with  a  large  proportion  of  the  Ameri- 
can cotton.    Though  short  in  staple,  and  not  easily  spun  by 
machines  suited  to  American  cotton,  the  natives  contrive  to  spin 
it  into  the  finest  yarns.    In  strength,  durability,  and  other  good 
qualities,  it  is  well  adapted  for  at  least  one-half  of  the  manufac- 
tures in  this  country— that  is,  for  all  yarns  under  No.  20.  Indian 
cotton  of  this  quality  could  always  be  sold  with  profit  in  Liver- 
pool at  3f  d.  a  pound.    The  cost  of  production  and  of  carriage 
is  not  the  hindrance  to  a  large  and  regular  supply.    But  the 
uncertainty  of  price  in  the  English  market,  determined  by  that 
of  American  cotton,  prevents  the  steady  increase  of  Indian  cul- 
ture and  commerce,  When  the  difference  between  the  two  cottons 
is  fc2.  or  Id.  a  pound,  the  spinners  of  No.  20  yarn  will  give  the 
larger  sum  for  American  cotton,  on  account  of  the  waste  from 
the  inferior  condition  of  the  Indian  cotton.    It  is  to  the  improve- 
ment of  the  quality  and  state  of  the  Indian  cotton  that  attention 
ought  to  be  first  of  all  directed.    Since  it  can  now  be  sold  for  a 
profit  in  Liverpool,  at  3f d.  a  pound,  there  is  a  wide  margin  for 
improving  the  quality  so  as  to  secure  a  demand  in  the  market. 
It  must  be  admitted  that  little  can  be  done  at  present  towards 
improved  culture.     This  can  only  be  effected  by  the  slow  influ- 
ence of  European  or  American  overseers  superintending  the 
roots,  and  by  the  stimulus  of  a  higher  price  offered  for  a  better 
article.    But  there  are  other  causes  which  depress  the  value  of 
Indian  cotton  in  the  market.    It  is  carelessly  collected,  care- 
lessly cleaned,  carelessly  housed,  and  carelessly  packed.  The 
middlemen  who  buy  it  from  the  ryots,  fraudulently  adulterate  it 
to  such  a  degree  that  one-fourth  of  the  fair  price  is  the  usual 
deduction  of  a  purchaser  for  estimated  impurities.    The  ryots, 
naturally  indolent,  prefer  the  tolerably  certain  return  for  inferior 
and  dirty  cotton  to  the  trouble  and  expense  involved  in  having  a 
