Mobile register and journal., 1845-10-22
COTTON IN INDIA.

We have, on several OCCASIONS, published accounts
Of the efforts made by the East Indu, Company to
introduce The culture of American Cotton into their
Indian Possessions, and we now present further in
formation on the subject. in the following extract Of
a letter from New-York correspondent of the
Washington Uaion, which will be found to contain
matter of interest.
NEW VoRK. Sept. p, 1915.
The "Zenobia," which arrived at this port on
Saturday morning last, from Calcutta, East Indies
brought home of the American cot,0npanters,
who, some five years since, entered the service Of
the Hen. East India Company, as superintendent
Of cotton farms, in their extensive experiment made
to grow American cotton IN that region, AID To im-
prove The cultivation of native cotton. have had
much conversation with Mr.. 4. who went from MIS-
sissppi; and after having served the government for
Eve years, the Of hs engagement, has returned
stated, in the Zenubia lie has comm unicaied
TO me much valuable and interesting information in
relation TO India.
He estimates The experiment has cost the govern.
about $500 900, and that il has resulted in the
most complete and signal failure.
lb 1870, an agent OF the government came 10 the
United States, and repaired 10 Louisiana ahd Mia
sissippl, where ite growing oi cotton has been ear
rled TO the greatest state OF perfection, and where he
engaged ten Americans, who had been employed IN
experimenting cation estates in that seer ion OF the
mended by the most respectable planters They left
with the agent for India via Eng land, aud ook Them
large quantities OF the best American cotton seed +,
agricultural implements, cotton gins, presses, &C.
The planters we're engaged at an average saiary
of about 1 800 each, with allowance for subsis.
tence Of T. 100 more. Each entered into coniiact
TO remain the rvice Of the Company five years,
and to conduct the experiments in such parts of H.
da the govern IT. ID point cut or The ten
persons thus engag after the fri ,cnr
turned home, being paid ;her salaries 10 the tine
Of leaving, but were left to bear their expenses
home; while according to the agreement, those who
remained hve years we're TO have all their expenses
horne from America to India, and from thence, at
the expiration Of the services. back to the United
States. Seven of the party remained TO the end Of
their eneageuent--"ne OF whom is Mr.. t., who has
Just arrived IN the Ienobia
He SAYS, on reaching India their party were dis
iribued to different parts Of the Indian empire, in
order thai the experiment might be ed in refer
to the different soils and varieties Of climate in
that vast empire.
One (Mr. to was placed at Calpee, in he dis
irict tf Rundelcund. Another s,attoued
Goruckp pore, under The Napa hills; ano Ecs IN
Dooab; another was located 10 Soomapore; another
NJ Huineapore, in the province Of Banda; another
at Raa CHI, in Bunde'pore; another in Conbatore
and nj Surat, the western eide of the peninsula.
Alter experimenting n year or Two At each place,
without prospect OF success, they were changed to
other locatles so as 10 give every district IN India,
as far az possible, trial Mir. + was changed from
Bundecund 10 Rungpore. Northern India, near the
base, and IN full view Of The Himalaya mountains:
which were covered with perpetual snow. Others
were changed 10 Dahwar, ia the southern Mahralia
country.
The American placed nj Raach, during rebel
lion which commenced with the Decnys (obbers
had his premises attacked, his house sacked and
burnt, barely escaping with his life and the clothes
he wore.
In every part OF India where the Americana tried
the cultivation Of cotton, and endeavored instruct
the natives in the best mode Of culture, they most
s2nally faed1 Those who remained used every
possible exerion to succeed, they were literally
paid, having every facility granted that they could
ask, with the expectation Of being handsomely
warded if they succeeded.
Mr.. 7. thinks the two great and insuperable diff
fculies, in the way cuiyating cotton in India, are
attributable TO The two great extremes OF dry and e
weatsr, either Of whoch is peculiarly fatal cotton.
During the continuance OF the rainy SEASON. the cotton
plants grow with unwonisd luxurance and rapidly,
to be suddenly checked and cut of by the intense
heat Of the sun which pours upon them during the
succeeding dry season. When the dry weather sets
in, the sun rpeus the bolls prematurely, when APP
parently not more than half grown while the leaves
Of the plant crisped and burnt 10 brown color
by the intensity Of the solar heat.
In lowor Bengal the rainy season commences later
in May, and continues till October In Central In
da the rainy begins about The middle Of July,
and lasts till from the first TO the fifteenth of Septem
Der.
In lower Bengal, as mucia as IS inches ofrain usu.
ally falls in twelve months. In centra India no
crops be anticipated with much less than Is IN.
ches of ram. Eleven inches fails result IN
a famine, which IL dreadful in its effects upon the
natives.
In addition to The unconquersble difficulties of the
climate, the cotton plant 10 exposed to the fatal at
tacks Of destructlee insects. There is which
lays egg in the flower Of the plant. Before The
boil natures, the forms within ii, which leeds
upon the green and tender bres Of the cotton eating
out all the cotton whiting the boil before il matures
leaving only lock or two is some hollis, or pods,
while in others not fibre is left. In some parts Of
India it is also subject the attacks Of white ants,
which cut down the piants while young. or attack
the Young pods and cut them off.
All that the Americans could do with their best
only enabled them to raise, the aver
age, about ten pounds Of clean cotton to the acre.
from the best American cotton seed, and only seven
~ pounds Of clean cotton to the om native In
dia cotton Reed,
Mr.. r., before leaving Mississippi to go 10 India.
superintendent cotton estate near Rodney, IN that
State, in 1889, on which he raised U,er nine hun
dred pounds of clean cotton 10 the acre! tie says,
that year he made fine crop, actually sending 90
market two hundred bales Of good cotton, averaging
four hundred and fifty pounds each, from niaaty-sx
acres OI ldnu. w nat Contrast, tNlB, 10 Cropping
in India!
Mr. F., one Of the American cotton growers who
went to India, and was stationed at Goruck pore,
put two hundred acres in cotton, from which he ga
thered only two hundred pounds Of clean coion
The most those sentto Combatore could do, was
to raise. in favorable year, two hundred pounds OF
seed cotton the acre-equal to abput fifty pounds
of clean cotton. The mos, Mr.. T could do was to
raise, the first year pounds Of clean cotton from
America cotton seed Of the Mexican variety 1.-THE
best,) and seventy pounds Of native cotton. to the
acre! lie says The American seed carried out from
about Rodney (lhe best in AmerIca,) deterioratt d
evey year; the staple fibre growing shorter, which
the ,.,1d grew ,ess.
1t is his firm conviction that # the American seed
be planted over and again in the SAM soil 10 |
India, in five years il will totally cease to mature any
cotton whaieverl He also SAYS, by changing 1t 10 |
Diher districts. il may be made TO yield something
lew years longer, but would ultimately run out.
He thinks the resources Of British India greatly |
,yerrated, and that it's produce Of all kinds grow
ing less, accompanied with an immense dIminuion
If the Indian 90. re enues, which tlike the |
parent pnwer) Is imn.,- tn debt. and like her, |
las gone largely into b.. I'd loanin2 operations.
Paper issuss aAoat all over India, put IN laton
with litle hope ofultinste or inture rahemriion.
The Afghan, ind other recent wars, have added
ELS 900 900 TO the Indian Government debt. Du.
ing kir. T.'s residence there, they issued loan for
1000 900 rupees, at per cent, having other large
outstanding loans made al per cent. The fact Is,
here ia no government which has been so wasteully
and extravagantly MANAGED AZ the lndiaB Govern
ment. The most enormous salaries have been paid |
10 Us public ofhcers, from the Governor General down
10 tne collector OF revenues a district.
Reckless and oppressive ex1ctions from the ma /
ives on me oas hapd, with the most wasteful expen-