r?m 



170 



COTTON". 



been seen, which are several leagues distant from 

 the coast. 



The lands are cleared for planting cotton in 

 the usual manner, — by cutting down the trees 

 and burning them ; and the holes for the seeds 

 are dug in quadrangular form at the distance of 

 six feet from each other. Three seeds are 

 usually put into each hole ; in the British colo- 

 nies, it is found necessary to make use of eight 

 or ten seeds. The time for planting is in January 

 after the primeiras agudk or first waters ; or at 

 any rate as soon in the year as any rain has fallen. 

 Maize is usually planted among the cotton-shrubs. 

 Three crops and sometimes four are obtained 

 from the same plants ; but the second crop ig 

 that which generally produces the finest wool. 

 The shrub has a pleasing appearance whilst it is 

 in full leaf, and is covered with its most beauti- 

 ful yellow blossoms ; but when the pods begin to 

 open, and the leaves to wither, its thin and strag- 

 gling branches are left uncovered, and the plant 

 much resembles a large black currant bush, that 

 has been left unpruned for a length of time. The 

 cotton is gathered in nine or ten months. The 

 machine for detaching it from the seed is simple, 

 and might be rendered still more so. Two small 

 rollers are placed horizontally in a frame, and 

 nearly touching each other. At each end of these 

 rollers there are grooves through which a cord 

 runs, which is connected at the distance of a few 



