204 COTTON PLANTER'S MANUAL. 



that any soil not furnished by artificial means with the pre- 

 ponderating constituents of the cotton plant and cotton seed, 

 should produce a crop abounding in the phosphates. This 

 leads me to further investigations, and a rich field of research 

 still lies unexplored, in the analytical examination of the cot- 

 ton soils of the South and West. 



SECTION III. REPORT ON THE ANALYSIS OF COTTON AND 



ITS SOIL. 



OFFICE OF STATE CHEMIST, 29 EXCHANGE BUILDINGS, ) 

 BALTIMORE, Nov. 7, 1854. \ 



THE following report on an examination and analysis of Sea 

 Island Cotton Fibre and Seed, and the soil on which it grew, 

 (the samples being carefully taken by the State Chemist on a 

 late visit to Edisto Island,) was made for an intimate friend, 

 (who owns large plantations of sea island,) in order to recom- 

 mend a manure best adapted to the growth of this national 

 staple ; but inasmuch as a subject of such vast consequence 

 as the increased production of the cotton plant should be 

 placed before the country at large, I with pleasure accede to 

 your request, and furnish you for publication with the analy- 

 sis of the cotton fibre, cotton seed, and cotton soil, in order that 

 a manure may be compounded adapted to the wants of the 

 plant and corresponding to the deficiencies of the soil upon 

 which it is cultivated, and that the benefits of its use may be 

 extended as far as this variety of cotton is cultivated. 



Any substance added to a soil to increase its products, with- 

 out a knowledge of the constituents of the substance, the de- 

 ficiencies of the soil, and the requirements of the crop, must 

 depend for its success on mere accident and lucky guess- 

 work ; whilst a manure compounded with reference to the 

 wants of the soil and nature of the crop grown on it, must be 



