§ MR. HARWOOD (Bolton)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India if his attention has been called to the deterioration of the staple of Indian cotton and to the condition in which it is brought to market, and if the Government can do more than is now being done to bring about an improvement in this particular by methods similar to those which have been so successful in Egypt.
§ *LORD G. HAMILTONI stated in answer to a question in this House on the 1st July† that I was aware that the poor quality and condition of Indian cotton had been the subject of a good deal of attention in India, and that efforts
† See Debates, Fourth Series, Vol. xcvi., page 419.42 were being made by the Indian Agricultural Departments to obtain selected seed, and to induce the cultivators to grow improved varieties. I am in communication with the Government of India on the subject.