CiiAr. XII. 
COTTON-SPINNING AND WEAVING. 
207 
to market themselves — are very independent in their 
deahngs. 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 ex- 
pectations, 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-merchants, who empty it out in their warehouses, 
and then repack it in a neat and compact manner before 
it is conveyed on board the junks. 
Before the cotton is converted into thread for the 
purpose of weaving, it is cleaned and freed from knots 
by the well-known process common in our possessions in 
India. This is done by an elastic bow, the string of 
which, being passed under a portion of the cotton placed 
on a table, throws it in the air by the vibration which is 
kept up by the workman, and separates the fibre with- 
out at all breaking or injuring it. At the same time 
the wind caused by the sudden vibrations carries off 
the dust and other impurities. After this process the 
Chinese cotton is particularly pure and soft, and is con- 
sidered by good judges not to be surpassed by any in 
the world. It is much superior to that imported to 
China from Hindostan, and always commands a higher 
price in the Chinese market. 
Every small farmer or cottager reserves a portion of 
the produce of his fields for the wants of his own family. 
