COTTON PLANT. 



213 



pods, go forth to their labours early in the morning, 

 before the sun has risen, lest exposure to its beams 

 should injure the delicate whiteness of the cotton. 



THE COTTON PLANT. 



One species distinguished by the name of Gossy- 

 pium religiosum^ is generally cultivated in the 

 Mauritius. Of this there are two varieties : in one 

 the cotton is extremely white ; in the other, of a 

 yellowish brown, and from this the stuff called nan- 

 keen is made. We may therefore presume that the 

 religiosum is a native of China, whence nankeens 

 are generally obtained. But the Gossypium her- 



