No. 200.] 169 



Recently they have introduced a new machine, by which one man 

 can gather, and gin, an amount of cotton in one day equal to the pro- 

 duct of the labor of forty men on the old system. It was invented by 

 Mr. Pierce, an Englishman. 



England has failed in all her attempts to raise cotton in the Indies 

 and elsewhere ; and experience proves that the cotton plant will not 

 thrive except in about 3 degrees of latitude — between 30° and 34.° 



It grows well in Egypt, and seed has been imported from there to 

 Louisiana and found to do well. It is between the Sea Island and 

 the Mexican. The Mexican, or Gulf cotton, was raised to its present 

 perfection, by a careful selection of seed, and superior cultivation. 

 The low price of cotton has compelled them to introduce labor saving 

 machinery, and to employ their labor to better advantage than for- 

 merly ; 6, 8 and 10 cents are the present prices ; it has sold as high 

 as 37 and 40 cents ; hence the impossibility of raising it to advantage, 

 and hence too the feeling fast extending itself throughout the South, 

 that other pursuits must be substituted. Mr. H. had been familiar 

 with the business from its infancy. He descended the Mississippi 

 river with the Jirst bale of cotton or hemp, the first hogshead of to- 

 bacco, barrel of pork, and bag of salt-petre, that came out of that river. 



One of the substitutes contemplated to supply the place of cotton, 

 was silk, in the culture of which he was prepared to embark to a con- 

 siderable extent, and for producing which he considered Louisiana 

 peculiarly adapted. He was satisfied from what he had seen, that 

 the worms could there be fed without a loss of 1 per cent, and was 

 confident that, with proper exertion, the South could clothe its negroes 

 cheaper in silk than with wool or cotton. (Cheers.) 



The president called the attention of the convention to some beau- 

 tiful specimens of domestic sewing silk manufactured, and sent to the 

 fair by several young ladies in South Carolina. 



Mr. John S. Pierce, of Burlington Vt., now rose, and spoke of his own 

 State as well adapted to the cultivation of silk. There was no diffi- 

 culty whatever in any department of the work. They could raise the 

 worm, reel the silk, and manufacture it too ! (Applause.) Then with 

 a glow of real pride and independence he exclaimed ! And here Mr. 

 President, is a proof of it ! I am clothed throughout in silk manufac- 

 tured entirely by my wife, and that to with no better machinery than 



