BOOK III. CHAP. VII. 693 



tween them drops Into a fack, placed underneath to receive It, leaving 

 the feeds (which are too large to pafs with it) behind. The wool thus 

 dilcbarged from the feeds, comes afterwards te be hand-picked, and 

 clcanfed thoroughly from any little particles of the pods or other fub- 

 ftances which may be adhering to it. This is a tedious though ne- 

 ce{Iary operation ; but is cafily performed by children or invalids, who 

 are fit for no other work : it is then flowed in large bags, where it is 

 well trod down by a Negroe, whilft it is thrown in, that it may lie 

 clofe and compaft, and the better to anfwer this purpofc, fonie water 

 is every now and then fprinkled upon the out- fide of the bag. This 

 operation is performed in a fbady place, that the moifture may not 

 evaporate too fuddenly. The weight of a marketable bag is ufually 

 30olb. and that weight per acre may be expedled from plants. 



To bring therefore the profit of this cultivation into view, we may 

 fuppofe a planter poflefled of ten able Negroes, and twenty acres in 

 cotton, the produce may be rated as follows ; 



Acres. 

 20 



In the parifli of Vere, 240 lb. wt. per acre, is reckoned tolerably 

 good yielding; this makes the produce of twenty acres 4800/i^. wt. 

 which falls fhort of the above computation ; for an average therefore 

 of rich and poor land, good or indifferent leafons, we may take 270//^, 

 per acre. 



One Negroe labourer will gin from 50 to 60 lb. per day. Three 

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

 » medium ; confequently, fuch a planter will have leifure fufficient, 

 during the year, for attending to corn, provlfions, and other articles. 



All our fuftians, callicoes, Manchefter velvets, (^c. are made up 

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

 tain a very capital part of the commerce of Britain and Ireland ; for 

 thefe ftiiffs are in demand in all quarters of the world to which our 

 trade extends ; and particularly in thofe countries which are fituated 

 within the Tropics. Nor can there be any fort of cloathing better ad- 

 apted to hot climates; for ihey readily imbibe the moift vapours of 

 the (kin, without repelling them like linen j nor do they decay fo foon. 



It 



