98 COTTON IN THE MADKAS PRESIDENCY. [1ST SEASON. 



" hand," varying from four to eight, according to the 

 ability of the Planter and the season. This estimate 

 is exclusive of the other things produced for home con- 

 sumption. All thrifty planters produce all their coarse 

 supplies, such as bread, meat, vegetables, and similar 

 articles for the Negroes' food. Formerly the Negroes' 

 clothing was also made at home ; but now the ma- 

 chinery has long supplanted the hand-wheel. Alto- 

 gether the Planter now (1847) does not realize above 

 eight per cent, for his money ; but then he lives on 

 the produce of the estate, with the exception of such 

 luxuries as his habits and tastes require. 

 156 Machinery, Gin-house, Gins, Press, and Drawing 

 Machinery. — The expense of American machinery per 

 acre cannot be calculated any more than the expense 

 of cultivation. The following machinery must be pur- 

 chased by the Planter, whether he produces one hun- 

 dred bales of Cotton, or six hundred ; excepting per- 

 haps that he might produce the former with one gin 

 only, whereas he would require two gins to produce the 

 latter. 



Dollars. 



Gin-house from 2000 to . . 2500 



Two Gins . . . . from 350 to 400 each, say 700 

 Single Iron Screw Press . . from 500 to . . 550 

 Driving machinery fitted up from 500 to . . 600 



Total Dollars 4350 



But the mode of procedure in America is so different 

 from that in India, that the most exact estimate in de- 

 tail of a gin-house and the necessary machinery would 

 afford no criterion for the arrangements which would 

 prove most beneficial in the latter country. Here in 

 India it will be necessary to give the people something 

 more simple than the gin and large gin-houses for their 

 own use in cleaning their own Cotton. In fact, the 

 seeds of the Indian Cotton are so small, that if the 

 grates of the gin are placed close enough together to 

 prevent the seed from passing through, the saws bring 

 the Cotton so much in contact with the bars, as to cut 



