april — june 1857.] Observations on Cotton. 117 



have been valued from lOd. to I5d. and 18d. per lb., and Anguilla, 

 from 18c?. to 2s. per lb. The clustered seed of Honduras, (sup- 

 posed the Kidney seed of Brazil,) is a strong and long stapled 

 cotton, but not fine ; the seed is almost bare, is very easily cleaned 

 by the Saw Gin, and, from its adhering together instead of being 

 in detached seeds, is easily picked from the tree, getting less mix- 

 ed with the Cotton leaves, which prove a detriment to the East 

 India Cotton. The Kidney sort is remarkably hardy in the Tropics, 

 and grows every where, whether near the sea or far inland. The 

 writer had some of both these Honduras sorts cleaned by the Saw 

 Gin, and sold by Messrs. Ewing and Co., of Glasgow, in 1841. 

 It was disposed of at 6d. per lb., in order to get its spinning quali- 

 ty tested. The Kidney, and some stained Sea Island were report- 

 ed as adapted for mixing with ordinary quality of Orleans Cotton 

 for No. 60 to No. 64 weft ; the other native Honduras seed, of a 

 finer fibre, but also Saw Ginned, was considered fit for mixing 

 with fair American Bowed, or Orleans for No. 70 to 80 weft : the 

 value of the first on trial was stated at 6^d. and of the latter at 

 6|J. per lb. ; or at one farthing, and three farthings more per lb. 

 on trial than was paid for it ; these prices being then equal to, or 

 better than those of the best New Orleans. From a little of the 

 Anguilla, grown in Honduras, it seemed to thrive near the sea, 

 and was reported from hand picked samples, to be fit for making 

 the finest Nottingham Lace. It was the original of the American 

 Sea Island, having been sent from the West Indies by some Roy- 

 alist Emigrants to their Republican friends after the American 

 Revolution.* Though still of a fine sort, this kind has evidently 

 become coarser, and the seed larger than the parent Anguilla. 

 The Anguilla is entirely bare of down, and would be easily clean- 

 ed by the Roller Gin. It, however, yields only 17j per cent, of 

 wool from the Seed Cotton ; while other kinds give about 25 per 

 cent, of their weight shortly after being collected, but more as the 

 seed becomes dry. 



* Tropical Agriculturist Article " Cotton," pages 36 to 38, which details some 

 interesting facts regarding the gift of Sea Island Cotton to the American planters. 



