The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-06-19
FARMERS WIFE AND DAUGHTERS.

FARMERS WIFE AND DAuGH-
to improve the staple by seed selection
and by cross fertilization. 1t is diff
cult to persuade the farmers to make
such experiments. although they are
ready to take up anythink that will
pay. The cotton crop is one of our
big money crops. The planters can al
ways get ready sale for 1t, and they
raise 1t to supply the money needs of
the family just as your people raise
wheat, even though other things may
yield better. AT present we have
something like 10000 square miles
under cotton. The demand for the
export of our raw material 10 Japan
and Germany.
Much of that sent away belongs to
our coarsest and shortest fibres. They
are especially good for mixing with
wool. and for that reason they bring
better prices than cotton of a superior
quality.
Our cotton industry received a great
impetus at the time of the Civil War
in America. Your cotton was then
shut out of the market and the prices
went Sky high. This turned the at
tention to India's possibilities. and ex-
pertinent farms We're established for
| improving the crop. The men put in
charge of them came from England,
and as rule they were little better
| than gardeners. When the war was
over and you again monopoiized the
market these farms were taken over
| by the government and made expert
ment stations. Some of them are in
existence to-day
India Versus the United States.
Will you ever compete largely with
| MS s to cotton2'
! I'VE are always competing, but
| doubt whether we shall ever be able
to seriously affect your cotton in the
you have a short crop and we come
next to you among the great cotton
producers of the world Our acreage.
| however. is limited, and we do not
grow as much per acre as you do. A
fairly good yield here is 400 pounds OF
seed cotton. We usually raise 200o,-
600 to 100000 bales Of 100 pounds
each. and in some years we have
raised almost 5000 900"
| How do you grow cotton?''
The planting is Gone by sowing the
seed broadcast or drilling it in. We
have machines which will drop two
rows at time. We first coat the
/ seeds with a plaster of cow dung. mud
and water. This covers the fuzz and
they pass through the tubes without
clogging. Our cotton is worked sever
al times. The best of the farmers
give the plants two weddings. The
blossoms come forth along in Octo-
Der, and the lint IS ready for picking
| in January. The picking season lasts
| until April"
we are now raising some Egyptian
cotton in the Sind, and are expert
menting there also with American
seed Both kinds do well, but it is
| question whether the American does
100000 acres under cotton; there are
something like 100000 acres in the
native states, and about 100000 are
controlled by the governments ofEBom-
bay"
The Wheat Crop OF India.
Tell me something about your
wheat crop"
I'VE are increasing the area and
our facilities for handling the crop.
We have now something like $4,000
600 acres in wheat and the greater
part of that is in the Northern part
of the country and especially in the
Junjab. Most of the wheat goes to
Karachi for shipment to Europe. 1t
is taken from the farms to the cars
and shipped, without storage in ele-
vators. Indeed 1t is question as to
|
what we need. That Is q live Ques-
ton in india"
How much does your wheat yield
| per acre?"
"On our irrigated lands we can
raise from twenty TO thirty bushels,
but the crop must be carefully cult
waited and MANFRED, and 1t must be
watered three or four times. We SOW
in October and harvest in March. In
/ Ia ~ n
sickles; 1t Is thrashed with bullocks
and wtnnowed in the wind Much of
the blowing is done with wooden
plows and altogether the cultivation
Is primitive.
Our agricultural stations are now
doing all they can to introduce mod
ern machinery. They advise tho use
OF iron plows and Of reapers and
thrashers, They show the farmers how
10 use such machines and encourage
competitive trials on the part OF the
dealers in the different makes.
we arc also testing as to artificial
fnanurea. India produces but little
barnyard fertilizer. The droppnga OF
the cattle arc uged for fuel. and the
average peasant gives almogt nothing
back to the soil. The stations are dis.
tribut!ng leaflets describing improved
farming and giving suggestions Yet
II is difficult TO make the ryots M our
farmers arc called. undertake any nov
methods or try new secdH."
Stock Farming.
what are you doing 10 Improve
your ntockY" asked
we have breeding Embellishments
connected With some OF ,ta agricIl-
tIral stations, and there ls q breeding
farm AZ the phipps Agricultural Col
lese, OF which have spoken MANY
| Of the provincial governments hold
agricultural HhoWS. where prizes nrs
given for the best bred nnlmaig. and
~ iats dairy farms hays been started
under gbvsrnfnent provisions The
Homba2 agricultural department en-