COTTON PLANT. 283 



to be beat with sticks till it resembles the pulp of soaked paper. The 

 bark thus prepared is put into a narrow tub, with the slimy infusion 

 of rice, and the infusion of the oreni root, which is also slimy and 

 mucous ; which being mixed into an uniform liquid substance, by 

 stirring it with a thin reed, the sheets are formed one by one, by 

 taking up this liquid substance in a proper mould made of bulrushes 

 instead of wire, carefully laid one upon another, on a table covered 

 with a double mat, while a small piece of reed is put between every 

 sheet ; which standing out a little, serves in time to lift them up 

 conveniently, and take them off singly. Every heap is covered with 

 a small board of the same shape and size with the paper, on which 

 are laid weights, which are at first small ones, lest the sheets, which 

 are as yet wet and tender, should be pressed together into one lump ; 

 but by degrees are added more and heavier, to squeeze out the wa- 

 ter. The next day the weights are taken off, and the sheets lifted 

 up one by one, and with the palm of the hand clapt to long planks, 

 and exposed to the sun : when fully dry, they are taken off, laid up 

 in heaps, pared round, and then kept for use or sale. 



[Seba. Kcempjer. Amcenitates. 



SECTION II. 



Cotton-plant, 

 Gossipium. 



This genus produces ten species of trees, shrubs, or herbaceous 

 plants ; a few of them natives of America, but by far the greater 

 number of Asia. 



Most of these afford a wool that may be usefully applied to me- 

 chanical or domestic purposes, or woven into cloths. The cotton 

 shrubs of the American islands grow without the smallest cultiva- 

 tion, but their wool is coarse and short, and hence cannot easily be 

 spun ; if imported into Europe it might answer the purpose of felts 

 in the manufacture of hats ; but it is generally consumed by the in* 

 habitants themselves, as stuffing for pillows and mattresses. 



The generality of the West India species are annuals; but G. ar- 

 horeum of India is a perennial tree, both in root aud branch, rising 

 in a straight line about eight feet high, with leaves in five palmate 

 lobes : the lobes lanceolate, obtuse, and mucronate. 



The cotton chiefly selected for propagation is G. herbaceum, a 



