272 COTTON—CLEANING AND MARKETING. [Cuar. XIV. 
When perfectly dry, the process of separating it 
from the seeds commences. This is done by the 
well-known wheel with two rollers, which, when 
turned round, draws or sucks in the cotton, and 
rejects the seeds. It is a simple and beautiful 
contrivance, and answers well the end for which it 
is designed. The cotton is now sent to market, 
and a portion of the seeds are reserved for the next 
year’s crop. 
Early in the fine autumnal mornings, the roads 
leading into Shanghae are crowded with bands of 
coolies from the cotton farms, each with his bamboo 
across his shoulders and a large sack of cotton swung 
from each end. With these’ they hurry into the 
town, for the purpose of disposing of them to the 
merchants, who have numerous warehouses from 
which they send the cotton to the other provinces 
of the empire. These coolies or small farmers — for 
many of them bring their own produce to market 
themselves—are very independent in their dealings. 
Having reached the first warehouse, the cotton is 
exposed to the view of the merchant, who is asked 
what price he intends to give for that particular 
quality ; and should the sum offered be below the 
owner’s expectations, he immediately shoulders his 
load and walks away to another merchant. At this 
season it is almost impossible to get along the - 
streets near the sides of the river where the cotton 
warehouses are, owing to the large quantities of 
this commodity which are daily brought in from 
the country. It is bought up by the large cotton 
