192 AMERICAN AGRICULTURE. 



beaten since, by aiding the hand in emptying his sacks, and 

 almost feeding and watering him while at work." 



" Cotton should be gathered from the field as clean as possi- 

 ble, taken to the scaffolds and dried until the seed will crack 

 when pressed between 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 insure 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 feeling of warmth to the hand, and it looks as if press- 

 ed 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 creamy color ; 

 the wool has imbibrd a part of the oil that has exuded by the 

 warmth of seed, and is in fact restored to the original color ; 

 for the oil being vegetable, it is dissipated by sun and air, and 

 the color by moisture (of rain and dews) and light. I have 

 known of a number of sales made of this description of cotton, 

 and even those who are most strenuous against the heating, 

 admit it bore a better price." The cotton is then ginned 

 and baled, when it is ready for market. 



TOPPING COTTON between the 20th July and 20th August 

 is practised by many planters with decided success. It is 

 thought by the foregoing authority, highly beneficial in dry 

 seasons, but not in wet, and that in three years out of five it 

 is attended with particular advantage to the crop. 



SEA ISLAND COTTON requires in many respects a treat- 

 ment unlike that of the upland. We insert an article by 

 Thomas Spalding, Esq. who has long been engaged in its 

 cultivation. 



" The Sea-Island cotton was introduced into Georgia from 

 the Bahamas; the seed was from a small island near St. 

 Domingo, known as Arguilia, then producing the best cotton 

 of the western world. It in no way resembles the Brazil 

 cotton which is the kidney-seed kind, introduced some years 

 later, and which after trial, was rejected in Georgia. This 

 seed came in small parcels from the Bahamas in the winter 

 of 1785. It gradually and slowly made its way along the 

 coast of Georgia, and passed into Carolina, from the year 

 1790, to 1792. The winter of 1786 in Georgia was a mild 



