New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-10-09
EAST INDIAN COTTON.

Oncers 10 THIS country with authority TO engage dozen
tmore or les practical cotton planters who TO
coed to Hindostan and there their time and ab
ity to teaching the natives by precep and example the
use of the American SawGin Capt Abbott had no diff
Guilty In finding both willing and capable OF under
taking the trust and in 1SI5 the planters landed in
Madras and Calcutta, well supplied with variety Of
cotton seed and with sawgns OF the most approved pat
tern. Such the commencement OF what is styled
"The English Cotton Experiment in India"
HindOstan, it is unnecessary to say Is very large
country possessing every variety climate Indeed IN
This respect 1t has been correctly styled an eptome OF
the whole world for has regions that bask beneath the
brightest and ercest rays OF tropical sun, and Others
than which the most awful depths of polar world are
not more dreary. But il ION the burning PLAINS Of
India that tho American planters TO cast their lot
AS these plains all produce OF less Of cotton and
the foreign planters scattered in every direction it
will be convenient to select two districts in which
the experiments with American seed and sawgns were
very thoroughly carried out, and from their history in
these districts readers will get clearer notion Of the
subject than by being taken in jumps from Dharwar to
Daeea, and thence 10 Berar. The districts selected
Khandes and Berar. both in tho Bombay Presi
dency but at the commencement of the experiment the
latternamed had not been annexed TO tho English
province Of Khandes being still under the
native government OF the Nzam OF Hydrabad,
from whom it was taken in payment OF debt
Khandes at the time spoken Of had been under British
rule little twenty years and although but 80 miles
Bombay,
white merchants and traders of that seaport if had
been in the wllds of Siberia The cotton received from
these notorious for its dirty, stained condition when
brought to market; the Government knew, however,
that the soil good, being nearly all what is termed
black soil (dsntegrated trap rock considered the best
for producing cotton So of the Americans
to the town Of Dhurrumgaum, in the center Of the dis
trict cottage and gin house were built for him, and
the Collector Of the District at that time most capable
and energetic ScOtchman was instructed TO cooperate
with him, and to afford every facility to the native Guilt
vators to have their seduction cleaned by the
presses, free of expense
so well satisfied was collector Elphinston with the
prospects of success that he brought dozen or more
Intelligent natives to Dhurrumgaum, and having had
them instructed in the of the sawgn, sent them out
in various directions with Government money to build
ginhoues in which to the machines he had also
made, and by which it announced in Government
circular all cotton would be gnned without cost 10 the
cultivator. 1t supposed by those not thoroughly
quanted with the Hindoo character, that the Govern
ment gnhOuSes would have all and more than all they
could do in cleaning the kuas seed cotton, but the
result Of the first two years work very plainly proved
that the immobiy of the native farmers was not to
be overcome by such temptations and yet the bride
of cleaning the free of charge by
lnconslderable one.
HOW 1T IS CLEANED.
From time mmemOria Indian cotton has been cleaned,
or rather freed from the seed by instrument called
other WOOD about Is inches in length, operated by two
women, turning each roller with hand, while with
the other the seed cotton pressed up against the
yOving rollers which catch the bers and drag them
from the seed, which falls on one side, while |
the wool passes to the other BY this process |
two industrious manage TO clean |
30 pounds of cotton per day. The fiber cotton
not In any degree injured by the passage between the
two smooth rollers but is possible for the Hin
docs with their rude hnery. to turn two pieces OF
wood and iron exactly true through the required
length as TO prevent inequalities at the line OF contact
the smaller seeds caught and crushed when they
yield an oil which makes the yellow stain so common
and deterioratng to Indian cotton.
Gnned cotton is free from this peculiar evil, but very
few Of the ryOts would avail themselves OF the novel pro-
cess they intensely dislike changes and afraid that
some imposition was being practeed them they also
asked, who was to buy their cotton thus cleanedl very
natural query when ascertained beyond all perad
venture that ginned cotton could not be used in the
native looms. BY dnt of personal influence, and good
deal OF cOaXing the Collector induced native
dealers to purchase at very slightly advanced rate all
the cotton gnned by the Government agents was not
great quantity but it suced TO convince them that IL
Improbable undertaking The exporters in Bonn
bay would not pay amuch for the gnned for the chur
kaed cotton because the staple injured by the saws
and with the exception Of being somewhat freer from
STAIN it reached the market In better condition than
the other
CONDITION THE COTTON. /
As both gnned and churkaed cotton received the same
treatment after the seed removed the dirty state in
which 1t was offered for sale in Bombay is readily
planned The wool was packed in gunny bags by man
woman tramplng 1t down while the bag was sus-
pended between posts So elastic is It, that
of tramping will prevent soft places being
left through which rain and dust enter and perme
the entire bag But this rude packing did not
take place until after the cotton had been sold 1t might
be for weeks, for months, under shed or in the
open air. receiving the dews Of night and dust OF the day
without the slightest care being bestowed on it.
The purchase made and the bags weighed out and de-
yered to the dealer is natural TO suppose that some
sar would be taken deverft at the OF shipment
as little sOiled as possible. Not bit OF It, II native
dealer of an interior town such as Jegaun in Khandes
NJ Khangaum in Berar received order from nercan
lie firm in Bombay for certain quantity Of cotton, or
zoos as is styled his servant for the Brnarrie
the gpey carrier Of India with whom he had probably
made contract convey his cotton to the sea coast at
certain rate during the season. and to this contractor
gas explained the extent OF the order and the dispatch
hat was required day, 1t may be weeks aferwaTd,
he dealers premises surrounded by dozen or TWO
aerce-ooking Brinjarres, having in charge sufficient
uumber of hastarved bulccks ponies and donkeys to
receive the load Of two bags eaoh which they carried
along nj the rate Of ten miles day, thus making the
ioprney from Khangaum 10 Bombay in about a month
Ar every halt, the freight would be pitched of the |
animals into the mud Of the road or on the long
vet grass as the might be. The strongest sackng
.ver made would not withstand the and tear OF
,ncb a Journey and the gunny bags were not PROOF
sgainst II so that by the time Bombay was reached
,b cotton wool would be bursting out in all directions,
With dirt and filth OF every description adherng to It,
In this state il was delivered at the Immense screw
where the contents OF four or ve OF tho haVe
bags would be compressed into one soma compact bae
for shipment to Europe. Seed leal ana oI' "ero al
backed together TO arrive in Liverpool anu Do eApc'eo
rfo pauapO al