COTTON. 



cd, double the ribs over on tlie bot- 

 tom, press on them with tlie foot all 

 round until they will nssume, more 

 or less, an erect position, then con- 

 tinue around until the proper height. 

 Now double down the rib so as to en- 

 close the last split, and run the end 

 down into sjjlits, so as to make fast. 

 Get out now two pieces of the white 

 oak, about one tiiird of an incb thick, 

 take off the corners with a drawing 

 knife, put one on the inside, the oth- 

 er outside of the last split around the 

 top of the basket, and wrap it well 

 with thin, narrow splits, over and un- 

 der the last split. This basket should 

 do for two seasons ; the bottom of 

 my largest is about twenty-seven 

 inches across, and about two feet 

 high, will hold about 150 pounds of 

 cotton, or three bushels of shelled 

 corn in the ear. 



"The next thing is cotton-scaffolds 

 for sunning the cotton ; I only use 

 the shed attached to my gin-house, 

 sixty-two feet long and twelve wide. 

 The best made use of by our neatest 

 planters are made of plank, attached 

 with hinges (like a folding-leaf table 

 reversed), and resting on a frame- 

 work, so that at night, or a rain threat- 

 ening, the leaves can be folded up 

 and shelter the cotton. The first of 

 these was described to me ten years 

 ago by the late Mr. William Bacon, 

 who was at that time the most sys- 

 tematic cotton planter I knew, a Nor- 

 therner. Other kinds of scaffolds are 

 made by cutting cane about five to 

 six feet long, and weaving together 

 with linn bark, of a tree called here 

 linn or wahoo, and laid crosswise on 

 stakes and poles. Others split out 

 boards. 



" The gin-house now undergoes a 

 rigid examination. Tlie gin-stand 

 should be sent off to the gin-wright, 

 if necessary ; the band be put in or- 

 der, which should have been well 

 greased and hung up out of the way 

 in the winter ; the running gear train- 

 ed, plummed, and levelled, and the 

 house again thoroughly cleaned out, 

 as it is presumed it was done when 

 the last season's ginning was done. 

 I use a sixty-saw ginstand ; a light 



draught for four mules, the running 

 gear being Pliiladclphia castings for 

 a twelve-foot wheel, fastened to a 

 wooden wheel by bolts and nuts. I 

 could give you a minute description 

 of number of cogs in wheel, and in 

 spur or trundle-head, size of band- 

 wheel, and speed of the saws ; but, 

 as I purpose to make an examination 

 into this matter the ensuing month 

 among my intelligent brethren in the 

 southwest part of this state, I will 

 postpone and communicate to you 

 hereafter in the East. 



" To make fine cotton, there is cer- 

 tainly much depending on the gin- 

 stand, the speed, &c., in aid of which 

 there are a variety of improvements, 

 as the flue, false grates, and a thrash- 

 er, though of these hereafter ; for the 

 present, I think the flue will entirely 

 supersede all others. As I think of 

 concluding with my last article, and 

 have yet only given you two pages, I 

 will offer some views I have on the 

 handling of cotton, though their cor- 

 rectness is questioned by many ; 

 yet, as account sales are ' stubborn 

 things,' I may be allowed to hold on 

 until there is a demonstration to tlie 

 contrary. 



" Cotton should be gathered from 

 the field as clean as possible, taken 

 to the scaffolds, and dried until the 

 seed will crack when pressed be- 

 tween the teeth, not crush or mash, 

 but crack with some noise. It 

 should be frequently turned over and 

 stirred (all the trash and rotten pods 

 taken out while this is being done), 

 so as to ensure its drying earlier. 



"If seeds are wanted for planting, 

 gin the cotton immediately, and 

 spread the seed over the floor some 

 five inches thick, until perfectly dry. 

 If the cotton seed be not wanted, 

 pack the seed cotton away into the 

 house, to remain until a gentle heat 

 is discovered, or until sufficient for 

 ginning; after it has heated until a 

 leeling of warmth to the hand, and it 

 looks as if pressed together, open out 

 and scatter to cool. This cotton will 

 gin faster, have a softer feel, is not 

 so brittle, therefore not so liable to 

 break by rapidity of gin, and has a 



199 



