COTTON CULTURE. 145 



the supposition that a cotton mill, such as is described in the 

 foregoing chapter, is within ten miles, what can they do 

 for themselves in one year by raising as much cotton as 

 can be used in the family ? We will also suppose that the 

 family is poor, having been desolated by war, or having 

 recently arrived in the country, and in want of many of 

 the ordinary comforts. 



They will get in their crop in April, and tend it during 

 the spring and summer. 



Early in September they begin to pick, and by the first 

 of October have between three and four thousand pounds 

 of cotton in the seed. At the factory, this will yield about 

 a thousand pounds of cotton-wool, and a hundred and 

 twenty bushels of cotton seed. Two hundred pounds of 

 it, spun and woven into sheetings and Lowells, will give a 

 family of ten an abundance of cloth for dress of every 

 description, bed coverlids, bed ticking, table-cloths, nap- 

 kins, towels, warp for rag carpets, and yarn for knitting 

 into socks. Two hundred pounds, in the form of batting, 

 will afford material for making five warm, ample, cotton 

 beds, and five thick, downy coverlids to cover them. If 

 sixty or seventy pounds of wool are bought, raised, or ex- 

 changed for cotton, it will give material for half a dozen 

 warm blankets, half wool and half cotton ; also a hundred 

 yards of Linsey, for the winter wear of the whole family. 

 A few pounds of the inferior or stained cotton can be 

 twisted into cords and ropes for beds, plow lines, and for 

 binding the bales of a future crop. The hundred and 

 twenty bushels of seed could be sent to an oil-mill and sold. 



In this calculation, it has been presumed that ten or 

 twelve more bales will be raised and picked out, hauled 

 to the mill for ginning and marketing in the usual way, 

 which, at present prices, and after making all necessary 

 discounts for ginning, bagging, hauling to market, and 

 commissions and taxes, ought to bring the family some 

 twelve hundred dollars in cash. 

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