62 



307 of "Sears' Wonders of the World; and yet, strange to 

 say, tins same engraving, with probably but a single correct 

 feature, is copied into the American Agriculturist, in illustra- 

 tion of an article by Dr. Philips. I might point out a half 

 do^en errors in that engraving ; it will answer my present 

 purpose, however, that I detain you with but two or three such 

 notices. You will first observe the bloom, and the description 

 given, and you will agree with me at once, that Mr. Sears has 

 been bugged by an okra flower; the cotton bloom, in its healthy 

 state, is never so much flared, nor has it any red spots in the 

 . bottom. Observe again, to the left, that young ball with its 

 drooping calix ; that is altogether unnatural, and is never seen 

 except where the worm is or has been. You will observe the 

 same error in the opening ball ; every little boy, who has 

 picked but fifty pounds of cotton, will tell you if that were the 

 fact, there would be no trashy cotton. I am sure Dr. Philips 

 has detected these blunders, with others equally evident. 

 This, I suppose, will be considered a small matter, about 

 which nobody is at fault ; because even intelligent planters 

 have never thought it worth while to give a correct descrip- 

 tion of the cotton plant. This same carelessness is observed, 

 when we cast our eyes upon the large map of Alabama ; we 

 there see a most imposing engraving of a large fancy plant, 

 with its one hundred and one errors, if called a cotton plant. 

 Observe again, the beautiful and chaste vignette of our own 

 excellent and cherished Southern Cultivator : we see there an 

 engraving designed for the cotton plant, yet I am sure if the 

 pendent open balls were painted red, you would sooner take it 

 for a pomegranate bush ! 



To the planter who is satisfied merely to plod along, the 

 inanimate imitator of some skinning neighbor, this sketch will 

 appear a tedious and uninteresting detail. I am convinced, 

 however, of its importance and there is a spirit of improve- 



