File:Indian cotton (1915) (14769274085).jpg

Identifier: indiancotton00inte (find matches)
Title: Indian cotton
Year: 1915 (1910s)
Authors: International Federation of Master Cotton Spinners' and Manufacturers' Associations Pearse, Arno Smith, 1872-
Subjects: Cotton manufacture Cotton trade
Publisher: (Manchester)
Contributing Library: Robarts - University of Toronto
Digitizing Sponsor: University of Toronto

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e years in which this is not necessary, the procedureis the following. The soil, which has almost the appearance of blackcinders, is loosened by means of a kind of Dutch hoe, drawn by twobullocks ; and this implement, which is called locally the guntaka,(see illustration in chapter dealing with Central Provinces) isdrawn repeatedly over the ground. When the soil has becomethoroughly soaked during the rainy season, and after a further rainfall INDIAN COTTON. 147 in August or September, which is considered the proper sowing season,the cotton seeds are drilled into the ground by a three-tined drillingmachine, called the Gorru. The guntaka then passes again overthe field. No thinning out is done, but, as the variety has hardly anybranches, this does not seem necessary. During the growing seasonthe field is frequently hoed by an instrument called the papatan,and when the plants have grown the hoeing is carried out by means ofthe smaller guntaka, two or three of which are fastened together.
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Method of Hoeing. Very little rain falls after the crop has been sown ; indeed, there isgenerally no rain at all from November to the time of picking, i.e., inFebruary. Should showers come in December the crop is frequentlyspoiled. Were it not for frequent hoeing, and the consequent ascentof moisture, the plants would dry up. Picking begins in February/March and extends into April. Thefirst picking is the principal one, wages being paid in kind—usuallyone-twelfth of the quantity picked. The cotton thus obtained, in lieuof wages, is sold to retail shops in bazaars. In these shops cotton fromdifferent localities is often heaped up indiscriminately, until there issufficient to make a bale. It is then sold to a dealer. Not only is thismixed cotton detrimental to the reputation of the cotton of the district,but the seed when sold for sowing purposes must produce a mixed crop.The fact that everywhere in India picking is paid by piece work accountsto a large extent for the leaves, stalks,

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