1 2 INTRODUCTORY. • 



SEA ISLAND COTTON. 



The first crop of sea island cotton was raised on Hilton Head,, in 1790, 

 by William Elliott. This crop reached its year of maximum production 

 in 1827, when 15,140,798 pounds of long staple cotton was exported from 

 the State ; in 1841 it had fallen to 6,400,000 pounds. Since 1850 this crop 

 has fluctuated from a minimum in 1867 of 4,577 bales to a maximum in 

 1872 of 13,150 bales. 



Even in so brief a summary as this, the attention of the reader must be 

 called to the remarkable influence exerted on the three great crops of 

 corn, cotton and rice, by their culture on the South Carolina coast. 



The finest, as food for man, of all the known varieties of corn is the 

 white flint corn, peculiar to the sea islands. 



The finest cotton ever produced is the long staple cotton of Edisto 

 island, which has sold for $2 per pound, when other cottons were bring- 

 ing only nine cents. 



Carolina rice heads the list in the quotations of that article in all the 

 markets of the world. Not only has its yield and culture been brought 

 to the highest perfection here, but mankind are indebted to the planters 

 of this coast for the mechanical inventions by which the preparation of 

 this great food stuff, instead of being the most costly and laborious, is 

 made one of the easiest and cheapest. 



