1837.] 



Remarks on the Cultivation of Cotton. 



109 



" In August very boisterous and rainy weather usually occurs, and 

 loosens the soil so much, that, if the plants are not well earthed up, 

 they are apt to be blown down and destroyed. It is in this month also 

 that caterpillars and blight make their appearance, sometimes to such 

 an extent as to destroy hundreds of acres of plant in the course of two 

 or three days." 



"The fields should be entirely shaded from the sun when the plants 

 are fully grown, the distance between their roots should be adapted to 

 this circumstance ; while thinning and hoeing to remove weeds, the 

 earth should be well gathered round the roots." " The number of 

 workings (hoeing and earthing up the roots) seldom exceed six ; the 

 last about six weeks before the crop begins. In general, the plants, 

 which grow about three feet high, are left about ten inches apart — four 

 feet, one foot — six feet, two feet and half apart — one hundred and thir- 

 ty pounds of cleaned or ginned cotton per acre is considered a good 

 crop." " In the Sea Island district four acres produce about five cwt. 

 of ginned cotton — four of which are white, and worth about 10a?. per 

 pound; the other stained, and only worth 5d. per pound." 



According to the above rules the fields appear to be more crowded 

 than is consistent with deriving the greatest produce from the land, 

 and the bushes are not cropped, which, by making them spread, in 

 place of rising to so great a height, would tend to protect them from 

 the dangerous storms of August. Nothing could be more easy than to 

 top with the finger and thumb the leading shoot of each plant, in the 

 course of their various workings, and at once thin out to two or two 

 and a half feet ; labour would be saved, the groundless exhausted by 

 having only half the number of roots to nourish, and be sooner and 

 better shaded from the sun ; while, from the greatly augmented flower 

 bearing surface thus produced, the quantity of flowers and fruit would 

 be proportionately increased, perhaps to the extent of not less than 

 20 or 25 per cent. 



In gathering and packing the cotton for transmission to market, 

 much care is bestowed. 



" In gathering care must be taken to remove the locks of cotton 

 without breaking off any of the dry leaves, and if any fall on the 

 cotton before the picker has secured his handful in the bag, they must 

 be carefully separated. In preparing cotton for the market, the seed- 

 cotton is first whipped— that is, put into a long conical sloping cage of 

 open wire or basket work, closed at one end, traversed by a shaft fur- 

 nished with a number of cross bars. The cage is fed by a hopper, 

 while the shaft is rapidly turned by a crank, or handle, by which the 

 cotton is whisked round the cage, till it drops out at the lower open 

 end, completely freed from any sand or other impurities, which drop 



