236 THE YEAR-BOOK OF AGRICULTURE. 



This disease made its appearance as early as 1810, and prevailed more or less, for more 

 than ten years, throughout the South, and occasionally to such an extent in some districts as 

 alnio-t to cause the abandonment of the cotton culture ; a contingency prevented by the intro- 

 duction of the Tennessee green-seed variety, which was exempt from the disease, or much 

 less affected by it than the naked black-seed variety first cultivated. For many years subse- 

 quentlj- the rot was unheard of; its partial and unfrcquent occurrence being too inconsider- 

 able to create alarm, or occasion any appreciable injury. Its reappearance in 1852 and the 

 season of 1853-4 has, however, on many plantations, been attended with considerable damage. 



The remaining disease, popularly known as f the sore-shin, attacks the plant in its early 

 stages. It' not wholly destroyed, the bark of the stem becomes diseased and hardened, and the 

 - c]> vessels dried up or obstructed, at or near the surface of the ground. The disease i- preva- 

 lent during the occurrence of the cold nights of a wet and backward spring. To this cause 

 it is attributed, and maybe owing, in some degree, to the plant-louse, (apis pauceron,) which 

 prevails most in such seasons. The growth of the young plant so affected is languid and Blow : 

 and although the damaged epidermis may be repaired and overgrown by a new bark, it is ques- 

 tionable whether the plant ever becomes as vigorous and prolific as those which have not sus- 

 tained this injury. The cause of this malady — too early planting — suggests the proper remedy. 



The casting of the forms or germs of the boll, may also, perhaps, be regarded as a di 

 attendant on a deranged circulation in the plant, owing to an unequal and irregular supply 

 of moisture. It is manifested most generally upon a sudden transition from a very dry to a 

 very wetj-eason, and is consequently so far without remedy; it is, however, doubtless some- 

 times occasioned or aggravated by injudicious cultivation. — Waties'sFirst Report o?i the Geology 

 qf Mutiesippi. 



On the Consumption and Manufacture of Cotton. 



I.n 1 740, some good people in or near Boston organized a society for the "promotion of 

 industry and economy," the wars preceding that period having introduced a habit of idleness 

 among the people, which the strong religious sentiment of the early settlers determined to 

 discourage and rebuke. On the occasion of their anniversary in 1753, three hundred females 

 of Boston assembled on the Common, with their spinuing-wheels, and gave a demonstration 

 of their skill in the art of using them. They were neatly attired in cloth of their own manu- 

 facture, and a great crowd of spectators collected to witness the scene. This was the first 

 public exhibition of American manufactures, and probably produced as much good and more 

 excitement than those of later days. 



In 1787, the first ootton-milMn Massachusetts was erected at Beverly, by John Cabot and 

 others ; but such were their difficulties, that in three years they were almost compelled to aban- 

 don the enterprise. As a last resort, they petitioned the legislature for assistance, and the 

 eouunittee to whom the subject was referred reported in favor of granting them one thousand 

 pounds sterling, to be raised by a lottery ! 



In IT* 1 !, two Scotch brothers, named Robert and Alexander Ban-, erected carding and spin- 

 ning machines for Mr. Orr, at East Bridgewater, Mass., which was considered of snob import- 

 ance lli it the legislature, to reward their ingenuity and encourage machinists, "made them 

 a grant of £200, and afterwards added to their bounty by giving them six tickets in the State 

 Land Lottery, in which there were no blanks!" 



i it. ly. In alt. rii.it.- n.ws. f»r experiment, the DMiJ tender sail suivulent vari.ti. s. whi h would natu-illy 

 invite tin- lifaselCO of Inserts, were th — m.-t il mi i .-. I. « liilc the DON hardy nnd firmly-wi» load unin- 



jured. The InCTCMe Of these ma Li . 1 \, | ma % pr it a I 1 \ he trace I iii some measure to the . \tii |.aii u Or dittp] 



Owing chii-lly t" the I. -trueti.,11 i.f the ('..rests, |e.a\ iiiir tie in iu a dftgTM wlthou* n Or 



-heller. 



A Leu. ■(.. nt IV'. \ id. n.e. in th nomv of nature. ) h>-se littln winged scavengers for useful purpose*. 



TO restrain the axtibeiUOl Of ins. -d life |* their |»-eullar oflh long as they are pretWTOd and protl 



their 0001 is effectually ftrtKWt I If man wantonly, and with mistaken impr. - tha extent ami rha- 



i ister ol th. ir depredations, »iii deatroj than ha moat make bit account In labmittln ■ Bon to. 



rnldahle kind, and whih may baffle fall ingenuity to prevent. This lesson lias been tftOgfai with a fa 



:■• ih i|- i y than on tho rice plantations of the Smith, where the planters would now gladly 



book the little diiii/.eiis of thu air, whi. h they have frighteued away or destroyed. 



