Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-05-20
INDIA COTTON.
Its Cultivation in the Central Prov
inces-Natfve Enemies 10 the
Plant.
From the Calcutta Englishman,l

I
From the Calcutta Englishman,l
So rapid has been the extention of cot
ton cultivation in this country that the
latest returns from the Board of Trade
in England show that more cotton has
been imported from India during the
past year than from her great rival
America. From America ,035, 81 bales
we're imported, and from India 1864.
| The American bales are heavier than the
Indian; but, if equalized, the result is
still in favor CT India by about 100000
bales. Another favorable feature in the
return for Indian cotton is, that a much
larger quantity of it is used on the Con-
tinent of Europe, and the demand for
this market may almost be said to be in
its infancy According to the latest re-
turns, however, from the central prov
inces, the cotton crop of the present
season from that part of the country is
likely to be both bad in quality and def
cient in quantity, notwithstanding the
increased area cultivated The in
creased produce of the northwest
ern prrovinces-nearly double that
of the previous year may help to
make up the bulk of the crop to the same
quantity as last year, but the best In
dian cotton is the produce of the central
provinces, and deterioration in its
quality is likely to prejudice the other
descriptions Of Indian cotton. The cot
ton crop in the central provinces has suf-
fered during the past year from several
causes-damp, rain, red fly and the boil
worm being the principal The damp
and rainy weather in December, just as
the plants were in boil and in blossom,
spoiled the color and knocked off the
blossoms More rain followed at the be-
ginning of the year and again on the 18th
of January, which further increased the
damage already done. During the damp
weather the process of cotton cleaning
is also stopped, and by this delay the
color is injured In many parts the cul-
tivators estimate the loss of the crop at
fifty per cent, but Mr.. Rivett Carnac is
inclined to take more favorable view of
the out-turn The cultivators, he says,
spread these reports to raise the price,
and many of them are now in a posi- |
ton to be able to hold their produce until |
prices rise, and as this is generally the |
case towards the close of the season it |
accounts for the quantity already sent to
market being so much smaller than at |
this time of last year. Up to the end of
January the amount sent forward was
only 23,39l bales, against 20, l75 in 1869.
Although there may be some force in
Mr. Carnac argument it appears just
as probable that the deficiency in the
crop has had as great an effect as the
desire for high-prices, for the returns
from all the districts are unfavorable,
and Mr.. Carnac will not venture to give
an estimate of the probable out-turn.
What the borer is to the coffee planter
and the shenka polka to the rice grower,
the bollworm appears to be to the cotton
grower 1t prefers corn, but if corn is
not available, it attacks the cotton; and
as the corn crop is generally carried
before the cotton crop, it always has to
fall back on the latter Like the borer
and shenka polka, it is also extremely
difficult TO get rid of; in fact, the only
remedy suggested appears to be to let the
land lie idle for year, exposed to the
sun and rain which destroy the eggs /
popularity of the worm is that |
in wet season it attacks the indigenous
plants, and in dry season the exotic {
varieties as each. description is under !
special circumstances che weaker. In /.
America all sorts of devices, such as
planting alternates trips of corn and cot 1
ton, keeping the former at distance {
from the latter, plowing up the ground
several times and exposing tempting
Daits in the shape of molasses, cobalt c
md vinegar mixed have been tried, but :
without success. The only remedy ap-
pears to be that prescribed for the o
henka polka, to burn the affected crop
IN the ground and let the ground lie
allow for certain time This is more
han the cultilators can afford, and the 1,
,otton Commissioner should encourage
my experiments likely to eradicate this
,est Of the cotton-growers.