COTTON. 1()3 



The Turks have long had possession of 

 that part of the Eastern world from whence 

 the common cotton springs. They cultivate 

 this annual plant in the neighbourhood of 

 Damascus and Jerusalem, as also in the Isle 

 of Cyprus. It is likewise cultivated in Can- 

 dia, Lemnos, Malta, Sicily, and Naples. This 

 variety of the cotton plant is sown in the 

 spring, on land that has been ploughed 

 and prepared for the purpose; and is cut 

 down when ripe, in the same manner as 

 our harvest. The seed of the cotton is 

 about the size of that of tares, and of rather 

 a clammy nature, which causes it to adhere 

 to the downy substance with which it is 

 mixed, and from which it is separated by 

 the little machines, which discharge the seed 

 on one side, and the cotton on the other. 

 Smyrna alone has furnished us with 10,000 

 bales of cotton wool per annum. This coun- 

 try formerly took great quantities of cotton- 

 yarn from the Turks ; but our manufactories 

 are now so complete, that even the spinning 

 is done by machinery, which enables us to 

 get it turned into thread, both more regu- 

 larly and cheaper than the indolence of 

 the Turks can furnish it ; but we still import 

 some cotton-yarn from the Mahometans, 



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