Cultivation of Sugar and Cotton in the East Indies [pp. 511-543]

528 CULTURE OF SUGAR AND COTTON IN THIE EAST INDIES.
The Persian cotton-shrub on the sea-coast lives for twenty or
thirty years, but in the interior it is cultivated as an annual.
The influence of climate and soil upon the plant is evinced in ano ther phenomenon, for Mr. Tucker shows that the color of the seed
varies with the soil and situation where the plant is grown. The
Sea island cotton has black seeds, but if taken to the back or upland
districts the seeds become green, and the staple of the cotton under goes a great change.
G. obtusifolium (Roxburgh), a native of Ceylon, producing a
small quantity of ash-colored wool; not cultivated.
G. micranthium (Cavanelles.)-This was raised in the Paris Garden from seed produced in Persia.
3. The Arboraceous cotton-plant, Gossypiumarboreum(Willde now and Roxburgh), grows to a height varying between twelve and
' twenty feet. It is indigenous to Hindostan, China, Egypt, and some parts
of America and Africa. Dr. Roxburgh says it is not cultivated for
its wool, but Dr. Royle states that some produced by this species at
Sahanapore was pronounced by a competent judge to be of the best
description, as both fabric and staple were good. It appears worthy,
he adds, of being the subject of farther trials, particularly to ascertain its productiveness; for of the fineness and silky nature of its
staple there can be no doubt, as it is employed by the natives for
making the finest muslins only. It was cultivated like the common
Indian cotton, and gave its produce, in the first year, during October
and November, and a se, ond crop in February.
To ascertain which of the species are best suited to the various
soils and climates, is a most important consideration for those interested in the Introduction of this source of wealth into India, because,
however judicious the -culture, yet, if it be expended upon a species
physically unsuited to the climate, it is labor and time uselessly
bestowed. My own inquiries lead me to the conclusion that the
Gossypiumn acuminatum is in every respect worthy of more attentiorn
than it has yet received. It has the advantage of being in(ligenious,
and, therefore, not liable to the changes and difficulties unavoidably
incident to acclimating exotics. It most delights in inland localities,
and is consequently capable of more extensive cultivation than those
species which affect maritime situations, and being a perennial, its
culture is attended with very much less expense. To these highly
important qualities are to be added those of being far more productive than the sorts usually cultivated, and of producing, in the most
suitable soils and climate of India, a cotton, long, fine, and silky. I
have my suspicions that it will be identified with the perennial
species noticed lately at Dacca.
The result of the experiments on the Agricultural Society's farm
at Akra warranted the committee of management in reporting very
strongly in favor of cultivating in India the Upland Georgia variety.
This opinion is sustained by subsequent experiments in various
other districts, and there can be no doubt, experience shows, that
every effort ought to be made to introduce it generally. There are
some districts, however, as the sea-coast and its vicinity, where this
variety would not flourish; and in these it is most desirable to try