28l 



which may be adhering to it. This is a tedious though necessary 

 operation ; but it is easily performed by children or invalids, who 

 are fit for no other work ; it is then stowed in large bags, where 

 it is well trodden down by a negro, whilst it is thrown in, that it 

 may lie close and compact, and the better to answer this purpose, 

 some water is every now and then sprinkled upon the out-side of 

 the bag. This operation is performed in a shady place, that the 

 moisture may not evaporate too suddenly. The weight of a mar- 

 ketable bag is usually 300ft. and that weight per acre may be 

 expected from plants. 



To bring therefore the profit of this cultivation into view we 

 may suppose a planter possessed of ten able negroes, and twenty 

 acres in cotton, the produce may be rated as follows ; — 



20 



6,000 



do. 



6,000 

 3,000 



20 



10 



1/ 



9,000 



30 



do. 



Total 



300 

 150 



1st crop. 

 2nd crop. 



£450 per an. 



In the parish of Vere, 240 lb. weight per acre, is reckoned toler- 

 ably good yielding ; this makes the produce of twenty acres 4,800 lb. 

 weight which falls short of the above computation ; for an average 

 therefore of rich and poor land, good or indifferent seasons, we 

 may take 270 lbs. per acre. 



One negro labourer will gin from 50 to 60 lbs. per day. Three 

 negroes will therefore gin the above quantity in about 54 days at 

 a medium ; consequently, such a planter will have leisure sufficient 

 during the year, for attending to corn, provisions, and other 

 articles. 



All our fustians, calicoes, Manchester velvets, &c., are made up 

 by the help of this commodity ; and it therefore contributes to 

 maintain a very capital part of the commerce of Britain and Ireland ; 

 for these stuffs are in demand in all quarters of the world to which 

 our trade extends ; and particularly in those countries which are 

 situated within the tropics. Nor can there be any sort of clothing 

 better adapted to hot climates ; for they readily imbibe the moist 

 vapours of the skin, without repelling them like linen ; nor do they 



