The Sun.
London, England, 1846-04-06 00:00:00

COTTON CULTIVATION IN IN

(From the Bombay Times.)
The publication, in our paper of the 7th instant, of
the epistle of our correspondent, " Mr. John Thomas,
broker," together with the letter of " Indophilus,"to
which he referred, has led to our being favoured with
the subjoined interesting communication, descriptive of
the experiments in cotton cultivation at Dharwar. The
information given as to the efforts of the Ryots to ex-
tend the growth of the exotic plant, is in the highest
degree satisfactory, and goes far to prove that the idea
so generally entertained as to the apathy of native
agriculturists, and their aversion to innovation, is, if not
groundless, at least of far more limited application than
parties have hitherto believed. We trust that Mr.
Miller will take an early opportunity of sending us an
account of the successful experiments with the saw-gin,
to which he alludes in the concluding paragraph of his
letter.
" To the editor of the Bombay Times and Journal of

Commerce,
" Sir,—ln the letter on the subject of ' cotton culture
in India,' republished from the London Times in your
issue on the 7th instant, Indophilus has, es you have
snggested, 'somewhat exaggerated ' regarding the extent
of the New Orleans cotton planted in Dharwar. This
is, however, confined to his figures: the main inference,
of the decided success attained, and the ' important fact
diet the culture is increasing and has been taken up by
the natives,' is fully correct, and will
i n
tehi.egive
for satisfactorilyiv e
shown, I doubt not, by en exposition of the real state of
the case, which, with your permission, I will h
for the information of your readers.
" The experiment was started at Dharwar
sum-
mer of 1843. That season there was about 600 sof
New Orleans cotton sown, but not more than /Marle re
cultivated ; the other moiety, owing to the unavoidablea
absence of the gentleman who had it planted, was al-
lowed to run to waste, and the little it produced was not
taken into the estimate of the season's out-turn. Of the
300 acres cultivated, 80 acres were in the Government
farm at Koosghul ; the rest was planted by the llyots.
A portion of the produce of the latter was sent to China,
and realised 7 tales 2 macs per picul, the highest price
then ruling. Another portion was shipped to Liverpool,
and brought 31d. per pound last May. In 1844 there were
sown and cultivated about 2,100 acres-225 acres in the
Government farms, and the rest by the Ryots. The
produce, about 245 bales, is partly in Bombay
and partly on the way there; anti will, I doubt not,
shortly be submitted to the Chamber of Commerce for
its opinion. In 1845, we had seed enough to plant
17,000 acres, of which upwards of 10,000 acres have
been plantt.d. The whole would have been sown but
for the almost total want of rain throughout the north-
eastern part of the district, and one entire talooka in
the south. Of this; quantity, 900 acres, or thereabouts,
has been planted by the Ryots on contract for Govern.
ment—the rest, upwards of 9,000 acres, on their own
account, Government having abandoned the expert-
mental farms. The picking of this crop has no co-
menced in parts of the district, and the prospect is very
gorxi, both a; to quantity and quality.
acres ought to produce thousands of. bales.
" Mr. Jan Thomas seems to infer that thousaralAsotf
ww,ourtlhd
tcliovefodrotihiaersbaannkstioerfethlewBrfa, snni susrinp, p la.
o whereth e land
ost
.oli is
oat,e of alt e-
cultivation at least ten dollars more ; but here, in tt o
per acre rent, an .
h 1 f a bale per is •
acre, quite
plains of the sotd.ithttw,ron
vation, 501 b., or the eig
a3nl(ai harathtaalreVrUunpter
eys,
"I might odd something further in regard to the sue-
have hod here wi,h the saw-gins, which I con-
sider a., satisfactory as that
satisfactory, and pa) a veryt 'n:ell. .
with the introduction of the
New Orleans cotton, but will not trouble you further at
Ipresent. " W. R. MILLER.
" Koosghul, Jan. 14, 1846.'1