120 



I do try all sorts that are recommended to me, and some that 

 I select myself. Now, Hinds, here is a customer, and an old 

 one, who can stand much shooting at. 



With respect, yours, &c., 

 May 24, 1850. M. W. PHILIPS. 



SECTION XII. THE DIFFERENT VARIETIES OF COTTON SEED. 



DR. CLOUD : Many ask me what is my opinion now of the 

 different varieties of seed, and to save much writing, I ask of 

 you the favor to be allowed to answer one and all. 



There are those who ridicule selling improved seed, but 

 they will plant such if given ; others ridicule, to be thought 

 of the prudent sort of folk. Every one to his notion. In 

 1833, or about for it was in '32 or '33 there were those 

 who ridiculed my trying to get up a better seed ; they were 

 only my second neighbors. This class has greatly increased, 

 and even improving men lend themselves to this cant. My 

 improving was only intended for home consumption, and 

 would have so continued, had not an estimable friend, an old 

 school-mate, insisted, if I desired to benefit planters, that I 

 could do more by selling seed than any other way. He had 

 tried seed grown here, perhaps two years, being sent to him 

 as an old and cherished friend. Others inquiring, put me in 

 the way of selling seed. Of this it matters not ; a planter 

 might as well sell seed of corn, oats, &c., as cotton. It is all 

 sheer ruffle-shirt cant, to ridicule selling anything a man has 

 to spare. To cull seed carefully, cure them properly, attend 

 to correspondence, and all the little perplexities, as well as 

 loss to be incurred if a full crop is not made, is not very satis- 

 factory to one, unless the almighty dollar has complete posses- 

 sion of him. At least, I am willing to quit the business. 



