Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-06-18
FARMING IN INDIA

America. In your colony days you
took to growing the plant ana manu-,
featuring the dye. but you soon tound
chat other crops paid better, ana the
Indian production revived.
'NVhnt is the extent Of the indlgo
farms3' / asked
"They have fallen on considerably
within tho last 20 years. We had more
than million acres under cultivation
100 years ago. and 10 years before that
about 1000 square miles. Ihcse areas
have b'Cn gradually reduced. until they
arc now not more than one-hait the cN-
tent of decade ago. Many OF our
flanters are now resuming the bust
ness and wo have perhaps farms to
tha extent OF 100000 acres In Bengal
alone"
MAK1NC NEW COTTONs.
Arc you doing anything as to your
,ottuul
yes. we are investigating the crop
and studying our soils and climatic
conditions in connection with H. we
RINSE YOU know. "a short staple cotton
ana our farmers ind IL moro prohtable
in tho long run. We are trying TO
improve the staple by seed selection
ana by cross fertilization. II Is difficult
to persuade tho farmers 10 mako such
experiments. although they are ready
90 take up anything that viii pay. The
=
crops. Tlc planters can always get a
ready sale eor a.. and they raise II To
supply tho money needs OF the fanny
tuSt as your people raise wheat even
though other things may yield better.
At present we have something IKE 20
coo square miles under cotton. The de-
mand for the product increases and we
have % large export OF our raw mater
ial 70 japan and Germany. Much Of
that scnt away belongs to our coarscst
and shortest nbers. They are especial
Iy good for mixing with wool and for
that reason they bring better prices
th1n cotton 81 "a superior quality
our cotton industry received a great
impetus at the time Of the Ciyil war
In America. Your cotton was then shut
out Of the market and the prices went
sky high This turned the attention
to India's possibilities and experiment
farms were established for improving
tine 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 mpnopolized the market
these farms we're taken over by the
government and made experiment sta
tions. Some OF them are in existence
today"
INDIA VERSUS THE UNITED
STATES.
'Win you ever compete largely with
US as to COtton?'
we are always competing but
doubt whether we shall ever be able 10
seriously AFFECT your cotton In the
European markets. We proht when
YOU have = 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.
fairly good yield here Is 400 pounds OF
seed cotton. We usually raise two
and three million bales Of 400 pounds
each. and In some years we have rails
ed almost Ave millions"
How do YOU grow cottOn2'
THE planting Is done by sowing the
seed broadcast or drilling IL In. We
have machines which VIII drop two
rows alta time. our cotton Is worked sew
eral times. The best of the farmers give
the plants two weddings. The blossoms
come forth along In october, and the
lint Is ready for picking In January
The picking season lasts until April
I'VE are now raising some Egyptian
cotton In the Sind, and are expert
menting there also with American
seed Both kinds do well, but 1t Is a
question whether the American does
not do better The Sind has now about
200 600 acres under cotton; there are
something like 100000 acres in the
native states, and about 100000 are
confronted ny lut kbNNl hlllNiAN ~ A''''A
bay"
THE WHEAT CROP OF INDIA
Tell me something about your wheat
crop
I'VE are Increasing the area and our
facilities for handling tho crop. We
have now something like $4,000 600 acres
i'm wheat, and the greater part Of that
is I'm the northern part Of the country
and especially In the Punjab. Most "
the wheat goes to karachi for shipment
IN Europe. II Is taken from the farm
to the cars and shipped without stor-
age i'm elevators. Indeed, 1t Is a question
as to whether the elevator system rs not
what we need. That is live question
In India
How much does your wheat yield
per acre.
ION our irrigated lands we can raise
from 20 10 30 bushels but the crop must
be carefully cultivated and manurei
and IL must be watered three or foui