This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1873 edition. Excerpt: ...process of reeling this silk has been discovered in Italy, and the Government of India in June 1873 asked the Secretary of State for India to obtain full information on the subject through Her M ajesty's Consul at Genoa, of the Chamber of Commerce and other competent bodies and individuals in that City: information was also asked for at the same time in regard to the best methods of dying the tasar, but up to December last no such information had been received in India, (Letter from Dept. Revenue, Agriculture and Commerce, No. 255, dated 9th December 1873). It is in the branches of reeling and weaving that the Indian industry is so backward, and any improvement to them by the introduction of simple and moderately priced machinery would prove of great benefit. It is not so certain that, in the matter of dying, much improvement may be expected by the adoption of European processes, as the brilliancy and permanency of the dyes now given to silk in parts of these, Provinces are preferred to the English dyes, and it is a point on which there is a keen appreciation in the local markets. Saoriou IV. The actual Trade. Notwithstanding all the vicissitudes and uncertainties comm which attend this trailic in the hands of ' dealers having transactions with the European markets, Cotton continues to take rank in the annual returns as one of the principal articles of export, and though not so profitable as in former years to either exporter or grower, It is no doubt still, to the latter, a remunerative branch of cultivation. The area under cotton cultivation for the Province generally was 830,315 acres, or slightly higher than it was during the past seven years. The season was on the whole a favorable one for the crop, a deficiency in the latter...