158 COTTON CULTURE. 



variety of climate. But by reason of the strong adher- 

 ence of the fibre to the seed, without the aid of some more 

 powerful machine for separating it than any formerly 

 known among us, the cultivation of it would never have 

 been made an object. The machine of which Mr. Whit- 

 ney claims the invention so facilitates the preparation of 

 this species for use, that the cultivation of it has suddenly 

 become an object of infinitely greater national importance 

 than that of the other species ever can be. With regard 

 to the utility of this discovery, the whole interior of the 

 Southern States was languishing, and its inhabitants 

 emigrating for want of some object to engage their atten- 

 tion and employ their industry, when the invention of this 

 machine at once opened views to them which set the whole 

 country in active motion. From childhood to age it has 

 presented to us a lucrative employment. Individuals 

 who were depressed with poverty and sunk in idleness, 

 have suddenly risen to wealth and respectability. Our 

 debts have been paid off, our capitals have increased, and 

 our lands trebled themselves in value. We cannot express 

 the weight of the obligation which the country owes to 

 this invention. The extent of it cannot now be seen." 



A study of the statistical tables, giving the product of 

 ^ cotton for different years, its price, the supplies that come 

 from various parts of the world, and the distribution of 

 the cotton raised throughout the world, so far as can be 

 ascertained, will serve to impress upon our minds the won- 

 derful commercial results that have followed this invention 

 of Eli Whitney, and will throw much light upon the ques- 

 tion as to whether the cotton culture of the United States 

 is likely to be impaired by the amounts produced in other 

 countries. When the gin was invented, England received 

 from America only one bag in a hundred and twenty-six. 

 Three years after, in 1795, she received one in twenty-five, 

 and at the beginning of the present century, about one- 

 eighth of the importation was from America. In 1820, 



