AGRICULTURE AND IRRIGATION

FIBRES

Fibre crops occupy a dominant position in the district's economy, most important among them being cotton. Ambadi (Deccan hemp) and Sann (Bombay hemp) are taken on a small scale. The following table shows area in acres under fibres in each taluka of the district in 1956-57: —

TABLE No. 28

AREA (TALUKAWISE) UNDER FIBRES IN JALGAON DISTRICT, 1956-57.

Kapashi.

The total area under Kapashi (cotton) in Jalgaon district was 662,100 acres in 1955-56 which was about six per cent of the total area under cotton in the State. viz., 11,333,700 acres. The area under cotton in the district was about 28 per cent of the total cultivated area. Besides, being a cash crop it plays an important part in the rural economy of the district. The area under cotton and its production for the last ten years are given in the following table: —.

TABLE No. 29

AREA UNDER AND PRODUCTION OF COTTON IN JALGAON DISTRICT
(1946-47 TO 1956-57)

The average annual acreage under cotton, from 1931 to 1940, amounted to 662.411 acres and, for the period 1945-46 to 1950-51, to 173,356 acres. This sudden decrease was largely due to the inauguration of the Grow More Food Campaign during the period, when considerable area under cotton was diverted to the cultivation of food crops. As normal conditions had restored, the area under cotton gradually rose from 144,319 acres in 1946-47 to 662,100 acres in 1955-56.

Climatic Features.

Cotton grows best in places where the rainfall ranges between 20" and 30" and is distributed in such a way that there are soaking rains in July, followed by moderate showers alternated with sunshine in August and heavy rains in the second fortnight of September. The optimum temperature should range between 60° F. to 100° F. during the growth period of the crop. The monsoon in the district generally begins by the middle of June and is on the whole more certain than in most other parts of the Bombay Deccan. It is practically over by the end of September and less assured rains occur during and after October. The rainfall is restricted largely to four months and hence a variety which matures within five months has to be grown. Moreover, the soils crack heavily, especially after December, as they become devoid of moisture. These cracks extend considerably in depth and cause damage to the standing crop by rupturing the roofs. The temperature in July, August, and September is most: conducive to vegetative growth. The mean maximum and the mean minimum temperatures, for these months are, fairly constant and the difference between them is small, which, however, widens from the end of October onwards and is most suited to the opening of bolls. The last picking is usually over by the end of December.

Method of Cultivation.

Cotton is taken as a rain-fed crop. Acreage under irrigation is small and a part of it is devoted to the cultivation of variety 170-CO₂ (Devi Raj). The usual rotation followed is a two-year rotation of cotton and jowar or three-year rotation of cotton, jowar and ground-nut; then ugain cotton follows ground-nut.

Preparation of land is done by giving four or five harrowings in heavy soils and a light ploughing and three harrowings in light soils. The crop is manured at the rate of seven and a half to lifteen cart-loads of farm yard manure per acre. Now-a-days farmers apply 200 lbs. of powdered groundnut cake before sowing. Some of them have taken to the application of sulphate of ammonia which is applied in two doses, one at the time of sowing followed by the other after five to six weeks. The crop is sown with the outbreak of monsoon in the third week of June, as sowing after first week of July is not considered desirable for getting good yields. The seed to be sown is plastered with cowdung and mud to facilitate easy dropping. It is drilled 18" apart with a drill (tiphan), the seed rate being 16 lbs. per acre. The crop is thinned out by most of the farmers one month after sowing, by maintaining a distance of about nine inches between plants in a row. During the period of growth three to four interculturings are given with a blade hoe and two to three hand-weedings are done as and when required. Picking starts by the end of October or at the beginning of November. Generally, three pickings arc done. Picking is over by the end of December. Occasionally, when unusually heavy rain is received in October, additional yield is sometimes available which is picked by the end of January. The cost of cultivation comes to about Rs. 140 per acre which includes wages paid to labour, cost of manure and seeds, hire charges for implements, land revenue and interest on capital.

As a result of experiments conducted on the Government Farm and on the cultivators' fields in the district, it is found that the following improved methods of cotton cultivation give good results: —

(i) Treating the seed with organic mercurial fungicides like agrosan to protect against the disease anthracnose which causes seedling blight;

(ii) Application of 20 lbs. of (phosphoric anhydride) P₂O₅ and 40 lbs. of (potassium oxide) K₂O before sowing;

(iii) Application of five cart loads of farm yard manure and 40 lbs. of nitrogen in the form of sulphate of ammonia one month after sowing; and

(iv) Sowing the seed 18" apart with a seed rate of 15 lbs. per acre and then thinning out to get the proper stand.

Cotton Varieties.

The cotton grown in this tract helongs to the botanical species Gossypium Arboreum race Bengalensis. It was originally marketed under the trade name Omras. At present the improved variety Virnar. which is being distributed since 1949-50, is cultivated all over the district. Growing of any other variety is prohibited by the Bombay Cotton Control Act, 1942. Prior to the introduction of Virnar, an improved variety, Jarila, was under distribution in the district and had covered the whole district by 1942. It was withdrawn in the year 1949 and the Cotton Act was also relaxed during the year 1950-51 and 1951-52. During this period, the farmers grew, on a small scale, non-descript variety in addition to jarila and Virnar. Recently the improved type of Indo-American cotton, Devi Raj. is being cultivated on an irrigated area of 3,000 acres. The area and outturn figures for improved varieties for the last ten years are given in the table  below: —

TABLE No. 30

AREA UNDER AND OUTTURN OF IMPROVED VARIETIES OF COTTON IN JALGAON DISTRICT (1946-47 TO 1955-56)

*Not available.

Pests.

Cotton aphis (aphis gossypie G.).—These insects push their beaks into the plant tissues in order to suck the cell sap and remain in this position for a long time. As a result, the leaves get curled up. This pest can be controlled in various ways. Spraying with nicotine sulphate, at the rate of one pound nicotine sulphate in 80 gallons of water and five pounds of soap is quite effective. Spraying with pyrethrum extract in the proportion of one part in 1,000 parts of water also gives satisfactory results. Spraying with fish oil rosin soap at the rate of eight ounces in four gallons of water is often resorted to. Nearly 80 to 100 gallons of spray is required per acre.

Bond ali, the spotted boll worm: In the beginning of the cotton season, the caterpillars bore into the growing shoots of the plant. When the flower buds appear, the larvae are found boring into them and later into bolls which show holes plugged with their excreta. The infested buds and bolls are mostly shed, but if they remain on the plant, they open prematurely. Consequently, lint from such bolls fetches low price in the market.

There are two species of the spotted boll worm; the adults of one specie have pale white upper wings with a broad greenish band in the middle (Earias fabia), while the adults of the other specie have completely green upper wings (Earias insulana). The pest is active practically throughout the year and there are several generations annually.

The pest being an internal feeder, only preventive methods are feasible. Immediately after harvesting the crops, the stubbles should be removed and destroyed so as to prevent breeding of the pest in the off season. Such operations, if performed collectively, decrease the carry-over of the pest to the growing season and thus minimise damage to the regular crop. Tbe uprooting of stubbles can be done by special plant-pullers devised by the Agricultural Department. The clipping and destruction of the initially infested top shoots should be promptly attended to in the earlier stages of the crop. All malvaceous weeds should also be destroyed during the off season, as otherwise they harbour the pest and carry it over to the next crop. Experiments conducted recently show that dusting cotton with a mixture of 10 per cent sulphur or dust of one per cent endrin, when applied seven times at fortnightly intervals, reduces the degree of infestation. Further, four ounces of endrin per acre sprayed five times at intervals of 15 days reduces infestation, but the profitability of these measures is still to be worked out.

Bondi ali, the pink boll worm (platyedra gosypiella, S.): The caterpillars feed inside the bolls and make them drop down. The pest is more destructive to American cotton varieties than to the indigenous ones. As the caterpillars enter the bolls, the entry holes are closed and it becomes difficult to spot out the affected bolls until they decay and fall to the ground. Unlike the spotted boll worms, the caterpillars never attack shoots. The pest is active from July to December, while the winter season is passed in the larval stage, in which it remains curled up in a small cocoon in stored seed, in soil or in bolls in the field. The larvae develop further when the moisture is adequate and later a fresh orood infests the new crop.

As in the case of the spotted boll worm, remedial measures for the pest are largely of a preventive nature. The pest is brought to new areas along with infested seeds, where in larvca remains dormant until favourable conditions obtain. Therefore, before sowing, the cotton seeds should be fumigated with carbon di-sulphide at the rate of one ounce for 15 eft. or heating the seed to 145°F. without injury to the seed. As a further measure to check the pest, the early infested and shed bolls should be promptly picked up and destroyed.

Diseases.

Dahiya. the grey mildew of cotton, has assumed serious proportions in recent years. In case of plants severely affected by this disease, defoliation takes place and this atfects the yield adversely.

Mar, the cotton wilt (fusarium vasinfectum): Cotton-growers of the district have been familiar with this disease for a long time. The chief symptom of the disease is yellowing, drooping and shedding of leaves, which ultimately results in death of the plant. The affected plants, when split open through the tap root and the stem, show a brown discolouration of the vascular system. Wilt may appear suddenly or may attack the plant at any stage of its growth. Partial wilt is also common; the affected plants remain small, stunted and the produce is of a poor quality. The branches of partially affected plants when pulled out exhibit the peculiar vascular discolouration so typical of wilt. This disease is not amenable to direct control measures nor can it be exterminated by any known cultural methods, since the fungus causing wilt is a soil-dweller and remains alive in the soil for a number of years. Crop rotation is, therefore, of little value. Growing cotton strains resistant to wilt is, therefore, the only practicable method of combating this disease. ' Virnar', a field resistant strain of G. arborcum, is under extensive cultivation in the tract. Due to the extensive cultivation of this strain, wilt is no more a major menace to cotton. All new improved varieties and strains of cotton developed by breeders are regularly tested for their resistance to wilt and only those really resistant are recommended for cultivation.

Mool-kujne, the root-rot of cotton, is one of the major diseases of cotton and is responsible for heavy losses. The most striking symptom of the disease is the sudden and complete wilting of affected plants. When initial wilting is not permanent, the affected plants may recover on cool nights, in wet weather or in irrigated fields; but complete recovery is very rare. The affected plants can be easily pulled out and all roots except the tap root are invariably found in a damaged condition. The bark of such plants can be easily peeled off, leaving a brown discolouration of the exposed area. A characteristic feature of this disease is that the drying of plants occurs in circular patches in the field. Growing of resistant strains is the only practicable method of controlling this disease, but unfortunately no varietal resistance is observed so far, both in American and indigenous varieties.

Tikka, the angular leaf-spot or blackarm of cotton, is caused by a bacterial plant pathogen. The disease affects all parts of the cotton plant that lie above the ground, including bolls. And in years when the environmental conditions are favourable to its spread, blackarm causes heavy reduction in yield of cotton. Primary infection of seedlings occurs through bacteria carried in the fuzz on the seed but secondary infection takes place through fallen, infected leaves and bolls in the field which serve as a reservoir of infection. If infection is localised on the leaves only at small angular spots, damage is not heavy; but if the disease attacks the stems and bolls, heavy reduction in yield results. Though seed disinfection by fungicides controls seed-borne infection, secondary infection of older plants through plant debris cannot be controlled by any direct method. Breeding for resistance is, therefore, the only practicable method.

Kevda, the anthracnose, is caused by a fungus parasite and is a serious disease of Virnar cotton, especially in years of heavy rain in September-October. The disease manifests itself as seedling-rot, collar-rot and "damping-off" in the seedling stage of the crop and as boll-rot when the crop is bearing. The last aspect of the disease causes tremendous losses since boll-rot is also usually resulting in non-opening of bolls, short immature, weak fibres and discolouration of lint. In the seedling stage of the crop, the disease causes heavy reduction in stands, thereby necessitating re-sowing. The disease does not affect leaves and stumps of plants which are more than two months old.

The casual fungus is carried as spores on the seed, harvested from diseased bolls and remains viable on the seed-coast and on the "fuzz". When such seeds are sown, the fungus becomes active and causes "damping-off" and collar-rot, which lead ultimately to the death of the seedlings. Infection of bolls occurs from diseased plant, debris in the field (leaves, boll-shells, lint, bracts) of the previous season's crop and spreads rapidly in September-October in years of heavy rainfall.

Since the disease is carried on the seed, disinfect ion of the seed either by acid delinting or by treatment with a fungicide, controls seed-borne infection completely. Since acid delinting is not practicable, seed disinfectant with an organic mercurial fungicidal dust is recommended. Two ounces of this fungicide arc enough to treat 15 lbs. of cotton seed which is well rubbed with a water suspension of the fungicide and then pelletted with a cow-dung-earth paste for easy passage through the seed-tubes of the sowing drill. For the secondary infection on bolls, no practicable economic method of control is yet available. Collection of debris, which is destructcd by burning, however, is a sound sanitary measure.

Seed treatment for control of anthracnose must necessarily he done on a community basis since even a small area sown to untreated seed in the centre of a large treated block will be enough to serve as a focus of infection, nullifying the effect of seed treatment.

Cotton Improvement 1880—1906.

Till 1905 no special attempts were made by the Government to improve cotton. The various local varieties grown in the district were being studied by the Cotton Specialist by growing them at Kubre, describing the various types and classifying them. Earlier attempts to obtain a better type of cotton were made mainly by revenue officers, i.e., by non-technical men. However, in response to the appeal from tire British Cotton Growing Association in 1905, technical personnel set upon the task of improving cotton. An experimental station was established in Dhulia in that year. The composition of the local Khandesh cotton was studied in 1906. It was found that the seed used by the farmers was made of different varieties of the type gossypinm ncglectum. The proportion of each such variety is given below: —

* Var —Variety.

1908—1919.

In 1908 attempts were made again to acclimatise both exotic and indigenous varieties of the annual as well as perennial types. About 24 types were tried and tested at the Agricultural Research Station, Dhulia. These types did not come up well and were not likely to be suitable for cultivation, as the season was found to be too short for these varieties.

1831—1836.

Attempts were made from 1931 onwards by the Government to enhance the value of Khandesh cotton by improving the staple and by stopping adulteration. In August 1831, Mr. Boyd, the then Collector of East Khandesh, bought about Rs. 15,000 to Rs. 20,000 worth of cotton, paying something over the market price for a carefully picked cotton. The best cotton came from the north-east sub-divisions. In 1832, Government ordered Mr. Boyd to give every attention to the cultivation and cleaning of cotton. Cotton worth Rs. 8,000 [ Includes quantities worth Rs. 500 from Amalner and Rs. 2,500 from the towns of Erandol, Yawal and Nasirabad each.] was bought for being sent to China. On arrival at Panvel. where it was taken on pack bullocks, most of it was found in bad condition. A little was cleaned and sent to China, and the rest was sold by auction at a loss of Rs. 620. In 1833, a small quantity of thirty tons sent to Bombay was declared inferior to Ankleshwar and to other varieties by the Indian merchants. In China it fetched a price equal to that of fair Dholera. In the same year, Mr. Boyd obtained a quantity of the American, Egyptian, Bourbon, and Pernambuco seeds from the experimental farm at Broach. A sample of the cotton produced from this seed was pronounced in February 1835 by the Indian merchants to be of good quality, but old and yellowish. In November 1934, Mr. Tylor, a warehouse-keeper, forwarded two parcels of Pernambuco and Balna seed to the Collector of Khan-desh for experimentation, stating that the trees would not bear for three years, and should be kept trimmed at a height of about live feet, In 1835, the Collector of Customs, Gujarat, reported that Khandesh cotton was being imported into Surat in large quantities, and that it was largely used for adulterating Gujarat cotton. In 1836, fourteen tons of the best Broach seed were sent to Khandesh for trial. The produce was, according to the Bombay Chamber of Commerce (18th April 1837), better than any Broach received in Bombay and realised a slightly higher price.

1837—1845.

On 4th May 1937, Mr. Boyd sent a sample of the Dhulia-Bourbon cotton to the Bombay Chamber of Commerce, who pronounced it very superior and much better than any one offered for sale in Bombay during the two previous seasons. The colour was good and the staple strong, fine, and long. It fetched about Rs. 42 more, per ton, than the best Broach. On 22nd May the Collector forwarded to the Chamber of Commerce two more specimens of cotton raised in Khandesh from the Broach seed. Both were reported to be fully equal to any Broach cotton, and their value was estimated at Rs. 218 per ton. Printed copies of directions for sowing cotton were distributed among the cultivators.

In May 1840, Government sanctioned a loan of Rs. 50,000 [ In 1833, Mr. Grant was offered the loan on the same conditions for extending cotton cultivation in Nasik which he had declined.] with out interest, to Mr. J. C. Grant to get gins and screws from England for cleaning and packing cotton. Mr. Grant was also allowed to use the Lock Hospital and Artillery Barracks at Male-gaon during the rainy months. During this season Mr. Grant bought cotton worth Rs. 2,00,000, and advanced Rs. 12,000 for the next year's crop. The result of Mr. Grant's experiments in gins and screws is not mentioned. The cotton crop of 1840 was estimated at 1,785 tons or nearly 20 per cent above the average produce of the previous twelve years. In 1843 Mr. Reeves, the Collector, advised the abolition of the tax on cotton seed. The crop was rather above the average, although it yielded Government Rs. 20.000 less than in the preceding year.

1837-48.

In 1844,[ The details for the period from 1844 to 1857 ^arc taken from Cassel's Cotton in the Bombay Presidency, pp. 89-100.] two American planters, Mr. Blount of Gorakhpur and Mr. Simpson of Madras, were appointed Superintendents of Cotton Experiments in Khandesh. As the sowing season was over, they began by setting up saw gins at Dharangaon and Jalgaon. They bought 1,50,000 pounds of cotton seed. To show the working of the machines they sent about 819 pounds of ginned cotton to the Bombay Chamber of Commerce, which reported favourably on its quality. In England it realised from 5½d. to 5¾d. a pound against 6½d., the price of Dharwai cotton. New Orleans and Bourbon seeds were brought from Dharwar and Madras respectively, and in the next season 37½ acres were sown with exotic cotton as an experiment, and 1,000 acres were cultivated by natives under the planters' directions. A screw press was also built. This press failed due to high costs of working it. But the saw gins were popular, some of the native merchants being anxious to buy them.

1846—1849.

In 1846, after the resignation of the two planters, Mr. Simpson was again appointed Superintendent for Gujarat and Khandesh, with Mr. Price as his Khandesh-assistant. Mr. Simpson gave up the idea of' an experimental farm and arranged that, in Erandol and in Nasirabad, New Orleans cotton should be grown in 99 acres (132 bighas) on condition of the remission of the land cess and the payment of Rs. 5 a bigha. He also sowed some New Orleans seed in a small plot of land in the factory garden. The plants came up well and, by the beginning of August, ranged from four to eight inches in height. It was a season of heavy rainfall. Near the Tapi about nine acres were flooded and the crop was lost, and in other places, though the local cotton flourished, the New Orleans suffered. The Dharangaon plants lost their pods and blossoms, and yielded only a scanty second crop. The rest looked well but were attacked by blight towards the close of the season. The total yield was only 220 pounds of clean cotton, and the planters reported that this was inferior to the local variety both in length and strength of staple. Mr. Simpson thought that the failure was due to the unfavourable season and it did not prove that New Orleans was unsuited to Khandesh. But the encouragement was so small that Government ordered that no further attempts should be made to introduce New Orleans. A small experiment in 1848 was a little more successful, 3¾ acrcs (5 bighas) yielding about 219 pounds of clean cotton.

In 1848, about 140 tons of local cotton were bought and ginned by Mr. Price. A number of gins made at the factory were set up in the village of Yawal, Advad, Chopda and Kasoda. The demand was more than what the factory could meet. In 1848-49, on Mr. Simpson's recommendation, a cart-load of New Orleans seed was brought from Dharwar and given to different cultivators, who sowed about 166 acres. By July the plants were looking well and were two or three inches high. For sometime the prospects were favourable, but later on the crop was partly destroyed by drought. In Yawal the yield per acre varied from twelve to seventy-two pounds. In the Dharangaon factory garden, under the careful supervision of Mr. Price, the yield per acre was 133? pounds. The whole New Orleans crop amounted to 9,040 pounds of seed cotton or 2,956 pounds of clean cotton. A sample was sent to the Bombay Chamber of Commerce, but they did not report favourably on it. It was clean and free from seed, but dull in colour and somewhat weak and irregular in staple. Though poor for New Orleans, it was much better than the local variety and secured a ready sale at prices varying between Rs. 14 and Rs. 17 per ton above the ordinary Khandesh cotton.

1850.

In 1849-50, the cultivation of Dharwar acclimatised New Orleans increased from 185 to 1,926 acres. Of these about 619 acres were destroyed early by excessive rains and the land was re-ploughed and sown with other produce. The heavy rains, (hough bene-ficial to the local cotton, proved injurious to the exotic plant. The Collector, Mr. Elphinstone, reported that the exotic plant was less hardy than the local one and suffered more from too much or too little water. The total yield of New Orleans, as given in Mr. Simpson's tabular returns was 1,71,169 pounds or 88 pounds per acre against 258 pounds, the outturn of the local variety. In the year 1850, Mr. Price manured about 1? acres of the factory garden at Dharangaon with 120 cart loads of decayed vegetation and cowdung, and after the first fall of rain, sowed about an acre with New Orleans and the rest with Georgian seed. The seed vegetated in four days, and by the end of June, the plants were four inches high. The field was harrowed, and at an interval of three days, was thrice well-weeded. The rows were thinned so as to leave the distance of eight inches between the plants. By the end of July, they were 2½ feet high and had formed blossom and pods. The first crop withered and fell off. But the second followed with an acre yield of 240 pounds of clean New Orleans and 213 of Georgian.

In 1850, Messrs Ritchie Stewart and Company of Bombay established an agency [ The competition between this agency and the local dealers created a large demand for cotton, and prices were nearly doubled within two or three years. Collector, 25th Mav 1854: Bom. Rev.' Rec. XX. of 1857, Part II l'-P- 3233-4.] for buying and ginning cotton at Dharangaon. To help this agency, Government allowed the Collector to encourage cotton cultivation by making advances to the tune of Rs. 18,000. The firm hired all the Government gins, nineteen of them in working order and twenty-one newly made. Under this new arrangement, both the ginning and buying of cotton by Government almost ceased. In 1850, 5,752 acres were under American cotton. Most of the seed was sown in May before the commencement of rains. What was watered grew most frcelv and even the unwatered plants did fairly well. At first, prospects seemed excellent. In June, the plants, eighteen inches to two feet and some of them three feet high, started bearing flowers and young fruit. Being most vigorous and healthy, they had splendid leaves, some of them nearly six inches across. In July, the irrigated plants were from waist to breast high, well filled with bolls and blossoms. Later on they were equal to Louisiana cotton, and in Chopda and Yawal, some of the plants were superb. Prospects continued to be good till the plants came into blossom. Then they suffered from two causes: the first-formed pods rotted from the too deep shade, and the later flowers were eaten by caterpillars. After a time came the second crop, but the plants were exhausted and the outturn was small. For local crops the season was very favourable. [ Of these experiments, Mr. Simpson has left the following details: Chopda, 30 lbs. seed sown; crop grew freely; yield 8S0 lbs. of seed cotton. Erandol, 30 lbs. seed sown in three parcels of 10 lbs. each. One patch came up and two were spoilt directly by excessive rains after sowing; yield 39 lbs. 6eed cotton. Yawal, 60 lbs. seed sown; crop failed; yield 36 lbs. seed cotton. Jamner, 40 lbs. seed sown; yield very little. Nasirabad, 50 lbs. seed sown; yield 160 lbs. of seed cotton. The area under cultivation was no acres of brown and red soil. The crop was injured a good deal by insects. The yield was 23,335 lbs. of seed cotton or about 7.785 lbs. of clean cotton, the rate being 64 lbs. per acre. Some native seed was mixed with the exotic, which, being picked separately, amounted to 4,958 lbs. of seed cotton. The results were: cost of cultivation Rs. 1,380-11-8; value of the crop Rs. 869-7-9; and loss Rs. 511-3-11 or about 37 per cent.] The total produce from the New.Orleans cotton was 6,90,933 pounds of seed cotton, or an average yield per acre of 120 pounds, compared with 164 pounds of the local variety. In spite of this disappointment, the area under New Orleans cotton rose [ According to the Superintendent's report, the area was 9,093 acres and the produce, probably of clean cotton, 5,19,008 pounds or 57 pounds per acre.] to 10,214 acres, in the next year (1851) as a result of the exertions of the Collector and Superintendent and distribution of prizes among the cultivators who had helped most in the experiments. The rains were over permaturely, and though the local crop was not injured, the New Orleans suffered, and the outturn was only 10,64,940 pounds or about: 104 pounds per acre.

1851—1857.

In March 1851, Mr. Elphinstone wrote: "Hitherto the New Orleans crop has been precarious, and even if, in the case of failure, Government excuses the rent, the cultivator has still lost time, labour, and profit. Except in Chopda where the soil and the air moisture were good, the mamiatdars in all other parts reported strongly against further attempts to grow New Orleans. Consequently, though seed was given gratis, the cultivation of New Orleans fell in the next year (1852) to 4,022 acres". "The people are convinced", wrote Mr. Mansfield, the then Collector, "that the soil and climate are not suited to the growth of exotic cotton ". The total produce was 3,46,735 pounds of seed cotton and the yield per acre eighty-six pounds of seed or twenty-eight pounds of clean cotton. In the same year Mr. Binnie, of Messrs Ritchie Stewart and Company, wrote from Dharangaon: "From what I have seen, the New Orleans crop is very uncertain and degenerates in two or three years ''.

In 1853, only 1,272 acres were under New Orleans. The latter rains were scanty, and the crop suffered from drought. The total produce amounted to 33,583 pounds of seed, 24,995 pounds of clean cotton or yield per acre of twenty pounds of clean cotton. In September 1854, the Office of the Superintendent of Experiments was abolished and only a small establishment was maintained to look after the Government gins. Of these gins, nineteen had been sold, a few hired out, and fifty-nine in stock were without any demand. In the same year, the cultivation of New Orleans dwindled to twelve acres yielding 1,396 pounds of seed or 416 pounds of clean cotton, or rather less than thirty-four pounds per acre. Since 1855, no attempt was made by the Government to grow New Orleans cotton in Khandesh. The Government machinery remained unused, till, in 1857, Messrs Ritchie Stewart and Co. broke up their agency at Dharangaon.

1860—73.

From 1860, when Mr. Ashburner was appointed Collector, dates the renewal of Government efforts to improve Khandesh cotton. The provisions against cotton adulteration (Act X of 1827) which for many years had been little more than a dead letter, were put in force. But the great demand for cotton gave enough scope for fraud by mixing dirt and other trash, and Khandesh cotion continued to fetch much less than its real worth. In 1863, a pound of Peruvian seed was received by the Collector. A part planted at Laling failed entirely; the rest, sown in Dhulia watered and yielded 86½ pounds of clean cotton. In 1864, under the new Cotton Frauds Act (IX of 1863), adulteration greatly decreased, and Khandesh cotton was so well-cleaned that its price rose to within thirteen per cent of New Orleans.[ The price of Khandesh cotton was then 24c) a pound and of New Orleans 28.] Presses were opened at Jalgaon and Bhusawal, a cotton cleaning company was started and land bought at Jalgaon. Great attention was paid to the introduction of new Hinganghat seed from Bcrar. In 1865, came the fall in price after the close of the American war, and much cotton remained unsold in the cultivators' hands. Still, the efforts to improve the district cotton were continued. 1,717 tons of seed were brought from Berar and took the place of more than 69 per cent of the local crop. The outturn was very good, fetching as high prices as those of Umravati. Next year (1866), by the still further fall in price, the area under cotton was reduced from 465,524 to 237,911 acres. Almost the whole of this was Hinganghat.

Sums of Rs. 20,000 and Rs. 50,000 respectively, were sanctioned for the purchase of Hinganghat seed in March and April 1857. The executive committee of the Cotton Supply Association described the new cotton as worth at least double the former mixed kind. Several varieties of seeds were sown experimentally, but only Hinganghat came up well enough to pay. In Dharangaon a rich landholder raised, with two waterings, a crop of New Orleans that yielded per acre outturn of 800 pounds of seed cotton. In 1868, some New Orleans seed yielded a crop of good colour and appearance, but so weak in staple that it was comparatively useless. 'Nowhere', says Mr. Wilkinson, the cotton inspector, 'have I seen New Orleans fibre at all equal to Dharwar, or even sufficiently good to encourage its growth'. During 1869, there was a marked increase in the number of half pressed bales, as many as 10,169 being despatched compared with only 460 in 1868.

In 1869-70, the crop was good, and when sent to Bombay, clean and unmixed, the Faizpur Hinganghat fetched as high prices as those of New Umravati. In some parts of the district the old local cotton re-appeared. But by distributing New Hinganghat seed, steps were taken to prevent its spreading. Mr. Carrell, the Superintendent of Experiments, grew some Hinganghat cotton, which from the care given to its growth, picking, and cleaning, fetched very high rates. Some natives made very successful experiments with New Orleans. One field ot a single acre yielded as much as 250 pounds of clean cotton, and another of thirty acres yielded on an average 90 pounds per acre. But the staple was brittle and rather stained in the cleaning.

In 1870, fresh Hinganghat seed was supplied where it was wanted and experiments were made, but due to excessive rains, resulted in little success. In 1871, the experiments failed for want of rain. The number of saw gins increased in Jalgaon by twenty and fell off in Yawal by five. The 1872 crop was good, and false packing, which had given rise to much complaint in Bombay, was traced and put an end to. In 1873, the crop was again fair. Dharwar acclimatised New Orleans was coming into favour as it was found to yield a greater percentage of fibre than Hinganghat. The local variety Varhadi was again creeping into use and false packing was complained of. Experiments at the Bhadgaon Government Farm showed that seven unmanured fields of about 67¹/₂ acres yielded a net profit of 47.29 per cent. Mr. Fretwell, the Superintendent, prepared some samples of the inner fibre of the cotton plant, hoping that they might prove a useful substitute for jute.

1874-80.

In 1874, the area under cotton was reduced by 30,844 acres. The harvest was early and the crop very clean and high priced. Dharwar continued to rise in favour, though, among the poorer classes of cultivators, the want of good seed was complained of. The pressing arrangements continued to improve. The number of unpressed bundles, dokdas, fell to 770 and half pressing gave place to full pressing. In 1875 the crop was fair, though not so good as in the year before. The area under Dharwar increased greatly. But complaints were made that, when opened in England, it was found stained by oil pressed out of bits of seed. In 1876, the year of scarcity, the cotton crop suffered severely.

Since 1876, the use of American-seed Dharwar increased further, and consequently the area under pure Hinganghat declined further. Complaints were also made that more of the Varhadi, the short stapled local cotton, went to the market than was the case some-years ago. It seems doubtful whether this complaint was well founded. In the outlying parts, the growth of Varhadi, whose culture called neither for care nor skill, was never quite suppressed; and it is doubtful how far putting an end to its growth would have been advisable. A certain quantity of Varhadi was required for the low counts ot yarn used in the coarse cloth worn by the local poor. Though some of the Varhadi was grown in or brought into cheap yarn, other portions of the crop were bought with the hurtful object of mixing with American-seed Dharwar.

The preference shown by the cultivators in the district for American-seed Dharwar over Hinganghat was perhaps due to the fact that it yielded a larger outturn and could be more easily picked. The want of field labour in the district made the proper picking of Hinganghat very difficult, in some places, impossible. The cotton stays on the tree till it is overripe and, in picking, gets mixed with its withered and brittle small clinging leaves. On the other hand, the large leaves of the American variety, remaining soft and pliable, drop from the tree and make it easy to pick the cotton clean. Its freedom from leaf led the cultivators to mix American-seed Dharwar with Hinganghat, so as to raise the value of the Hinganghat by making it seem freer from leaf. With two varieties of cotton so nearly equal in price, mixture was much less hurtful than the mixture of Varhadi with American-seed. The Bombay Cotton Trade Association, however, held that the mixture was injurious. Hinganghat lost its fineness when mixed with the hard and rough American-seed Dharwar. And though the mixture was suitable for local spinning, its want of evenness made it unfit for export. According to the Cotton Trade Association. Hinganghat was the best cotton for Khandcsh to grow. Its even silky staple made it a special favourite with spinners. In Bombay, American-seed Dharwar fetched a less price than the cotton grown from Hinganghat seed.[ The Secretary Bombay Cotton Trade Association to Government, 6th September 1880.]

During 1908—1910 bazar samples of cotton seed were obtained from every taluka in Khandcsh and their composition was determined. The average proportion in the mixture is given below.—

² Var. = Variety.

It was observed that the proportion of white flower plants was more in the northern talukas. The proportion of the white flowers, variety Rosea, was lowest in Chalisgaon, Pachora, Bhadgaon and Erandol and highest in Amalner and Bhusawal. Dillerent constituents were tried at the Agricultural Research Station, Dhulia, during 1906—1914 and it was observed that the variety Rosea (N. R.) gave higher yield and had also the higher ginning percentage. In 1912.13, though it was a very unfavourable season, the white flower types were found to be superior in yield. In 1913 an experimental farm was opened at Jalgaon to multiply the pure seed of N. R. for supply to farmers. Substantial advantages in ginning outturn secured a higher price for the seed cotton in the market. The net profit per acre was very high in the case of variety Rosea. It was found to be fore drought resistant; the bolis matured uniformly and opened well, earner than the yellow flowered varieties. The Bombay Agricultural Department was itself distributing for some time pure seed for about 30,000 acres a year. Its extension, however, generated a fear that the standard of Khandesh cotton may be lowered, for the staple length of the Rosea variety (N. R.) was not. more than half an inch. The lint was also considered to be extremely coarse and its spinning capacity reached only 8 H. S. W. Cs. The only recourse left was, therefore, to effect improvement by selection or by hybridisation to obtain a type with superior staple and equal to N. R. in other qualities. Hybridisation was resorted to since 1908 and studied at Dhulia. The cross Bani x Comilla was found to he superior to other crosses. The three varieties were tried at Jalgaon in 1918-19 and the average results showed that Rosea N. R. gave the highest yield and had the highest ginning outturn.

1921—54.

In 1921 cotton breeding work was taken up for both East Khandesh (jalgaon) and West Khandesh (Dhulia) and a post of Cotton Breeder in Bombay Agticultural Service was created. From the local mixture on band, various bio-types were isolated and studied. One type N. R. 6 was found to be superior to all and was distributed for cultivation in 1926. From the synthetic material created in 1908 from the cross Bani x Comilla, three cultures were isolated and studied. They were not uniform and were found to be segregating. From these, three types were isolated, viz.. Dh. 1. Dh. 2 and B. IX 450. The type Dh. 1 was tried at Jalgaon for three seasons and was found to be equal in yielding capacity to N. R. It was superior to N. R. cotton in ginning outturn and in staple length. It was valued at Rs. 371 per candy against Rs. 335 to Rs. 340 per candy of N. R. cotton. It was distributed for cultivation in 1932 under the popular name of Banila. It was, however, found to be susceptible to wilt disease caused by fusarium vasinfectum and had, therefore, to be withdrawn. During 1932, the work of cotton breeding in Khandesh was slutted from Dhulia to Jalgaon as the latter centre was situated in deep black soil and carried abundant wilt infection in contrast to the medium and light soils of Dhulia which were devoid of wilt infection, under a sthenic financed with the aid of Indian Central Cotton Committee, Bombay. As a result of the work done at jalgaon on the bulk seed obtained from Vidarbha of Virum-262 from a farmer's field, a selection N. V. 56-3 was isolated in 1934. It was found to be outstandingly superior to N. R. and Banila in quality and was given out for general cultivation in 1937 under the name Jarila. It was estimated that by growing Jarila the farmer will get nearly Rs. 15 more per acre than by growing Banila. It was well received by the farmers and covered the entire area by 1943. It was taken as the basis of cotton contracts. As the ginning percentage of Jarila was low, further research work was taken up to combine high ginning and fibre qualities of Jarila. Jarila in latter years suffered very badly from late rains and anthracnose and hence there was a move to replace the variety by a new one. From the cross of Jarila x N R. 5, one segregate 197-3 was isolated in 1943 and given out for general cultivation under the popular name 'Virnar' in 1949. It was estimated that, by growing Virnar in place of Jarila, the farmer gets an extra income of Rs. 40 per acre. Further research work was in progress to isolate the type which was superior to Virnar in fibre qualities and resistant to wilt.

Special mention may be made of the two schemes, viz., (a) the Virnar cotton seed multiplication and distribution scheme for this tract and (b) the New Khandesh cotton breeding scheme, Jalgaon. The main object of the Virnar cotton scheme was to bring the entire cotton area in this district under the cultivation of Virnar. A steady, continuous flow of pure seed of this variety is ensured and, in order to achieve the object, certain areas are reserved for cultivation of this variety. Besides supplying the seeds of this variety, following steps have also been taken for propagating the use of Virnar cotton, viz., (a) maintenance of purity by eliminating impure varieties; (b) marketing of cotton seed on co-operative basis; (c) agmarking of cotton so as to fetch better returns to the cultivators; and (d) enforcement of various cotton Acts in order to maintain purity of quality of Virnar cotton. For the purpose of enforcement of the Cotton Act, nine cotton check nakas had been established in this district at Anturli, Wagboda, Chinholi, Chorwad, Wakod and Pimpalgaon-Hareshwar.

The progress so far achieved in cotton breeding work is given in the following table. The table gives comparative performance as regards morphological, agricultural and economic aspects of the past and the present cotton strains in the district: —

TABLE No. 31

*Susceptible to wilt.

The new Khandesh Cotton Breeding Scheme is concerned with research on the Virnar. For this purpose, a Research Farm lias been established at Jalgaon with a nucleus plot for multiplication of pure breed variety evolved at the Research Farm. Trials on several varieties of Virnar such as Virnar Dokras 9-2-8-3, and X-Dokras 9-2-8-3, etc. ate conducted at this Farm. Fistrict triais of the various strains are conducted on the iields of progressive farmers who agree to introduce the new varieties.

Ambadi

Ambadi (Deccan hemp) belongs to cotton family and occupied small area under fibres in 1956-57. Cultivation was largely concentrated in Amalner, Chopda, Erandol and Jamner talukas. It is a kharip crop adaptable to a wide range of soils and climate. It is usually taken as a subordinate crop with jowar, bajra or pulses. The crop is sown in June-July. Tillage and other cultural operations are more or less the same as those given to other crops along with which it is cultivated. Harvesting is done in October-November when the plants ripen. They are uprooted, dried in the sun for a few days and tied into small bundles. The leaves and capsules arc easily separated by beating the bundles on a log of wood or a thick plank. The seed is removed from the capsule by beating with a stick. It is then cleaned by winnowing. The small dry bundles are tied into larger bundles and steeped in water and weighed down with stones for a period of 10 to 15 days. The bark and fibre become loose and can be easily peeled off in long strips from the stem. The clean fibre can be obtained by beating and washing the long strips in water. Clean fibre is dried in the sun. tied in bundles and prepared for the market.

Sann.

Sann (Bombay hemp) is grown on a very small scale and used mainly for manurial purposes, though it can be grown for its fibre. It is sown soon after the commencement of the rains. The seed-rate varies between 60 and 100 pounds. It is sown thick in June. The plant grows fast with the result that the weeds are smothered. The crop is ready for ploughing in, when it is 2—2½ months old and is in flower. It is at this time that the weight of the green matter is maximum, i.e., about 10 to 12 tons per acre. The nitrogen added to the soil is about 0.5 per cent, of the green weight. The total nitrogen added per acre is about 100 lbs. A heavy log roller is first drawn over the crop in order to level it and then it is ploughed in. The field so treated is left untreated until the sann is decayed. This may take 5-6 weeks.

The bark of the plant, after undergoing the process of retting, yields a fibre which is considered to be a good quality material for making ropes, twine, fishing nets, etc.

TOP