102 COTTON IN THE MADRAS PRESIDENCY. [!ST. SEASON. 



c ^Jy p> of spring and the first frost of autumn, was found to be 



too short to produce a profitable crop. Still however it was 



i6th NOV. raised for domestic consumption, until a more favorable cli- 

 Returif ari> mate was discovered. Subsequently, the early emigrants, 

 ITS'.. p ' journeying westward from Virginia to Kentucky, carried 

 the Cotton seed with them, but still found the climate too 

 severe. At last it was cultivated with much success in the 

 more southern province of Tennessee, where the summer 

 season was slightly longer. In that early period the saw gin 

 was unknown. The seed was separated from the Cotton in 

 > a more primitive way even than by the Indian churka, for 

 the American people employed no machine beyond their 

 own fingers. At that time the circumstances of the Ame- 

 rican settlers were almost analogous to those of the Indian 

 Ryots; for the work was done when the people could 

 employ their time in no other way. During the long winter 

 evenings, and during bad weather, when no out door work 

 could be performed, the Negro men and children were en- 

 gaged in separating the Cotton from the seed, whilst the 

 Negro women were employed in spinning and weaving the 

 wool to clothe themselves and the family. Gradually the 

 gin was introduced. One gin house was established in every 

 neighbourhood, and ginned the Cotton for the neighbouring 

 Farmers, whilst the owner of the gin received payment in 

 kind. But meantime adventurous settlers had pushed still 

 further to the South. The climate of Alabama and Missis- 

 sippi was found to be even more favorable to the plant than 

 that of Tennessee ; and there every Planter soon had a gin 

 house of his own. Thus the luxuriant South reduced the 

 Kentucky and Tennessee Cotton to a mere domestic product ; 

 but even within Mr. Finnie's recollection, that is about 

 1820, the Negro men and women would gather in some 

 neighbourhoods round a blazing fire during the long winter 

 evenings, to hand pick the seeds out of the Cotton, which 

 the women were to spin the next day. 



