n 
fin There', in Queensland, a congenial atmosphere, 
a happy home. If 1 his inspiring p”ospeet were 
brought nearer by its efforts, the Philosophical 
Society of Brisbane would have accomplished no 
trivial end, nor could it be said, even supposing 
little else accompli sired, that it luid been institut- 
ed in vain. 
Copt of Mr. ClegjTs Letter-. 
“ 28, Corpora tiovi -street, Manchester, 
“ January 3rd, 1357. 
Cfc OitN'TLET ?'T, — Tt gives me pleasure to state, 
after consulting Mr. Bazley, Messrs. If oulds worth, 
Barnes & Co., and a dealer in sca-islaml cotton, 
that the sample you sent to me is of very superior 
quality, almost too good for ordinary true yams 
and for practical purposes. It was variously 
valued at from t wo shillings to evert four shillings 
per pound for fancy articles ^theprevadingopiiiion 
being that it would realise two shillings and six- 
pence to three shillings per pound, which I be- 
lieve it would for moderate quantities, but great 
quantie^ of such valuable sorts- are not required, 
being of limited consumption. I think, how- 
ever, they might fairly calculate upon two shil- 
lings per pound for a long tims to come for such 
cotton. I have no doubt, that where this was 
grown, they can produce in quantity, the best 
cotton in the world perhaps, and ought forth- 
with to turn their attention to it, by getting 
abundance of labour, either from- China or from 
other sources, free from any risk of introducing 
shivery in its cultivation. 
“Your friends are rigid in saying that great 
eare will, be required in cleaning the cotton, so 
as not to damage it's colour, or injure the staple. 
For this purpose none but the roller gin should 
be used, unless perhaps- McCartney’s, which 
might also be tried, and both are made in Man- 
chester at Messrs. Dunlop’s ; I can get them, right 
for your friends’ experiments if they wish-. Thiv 
line cotton would, however, pay to bo picked; 
sorted, and cleaned even by hand, although slow 
work. 
“ The seed should bo drip and hard before be- 
ing cleaned, otherwise it crushes instead of leav- 
ing the cotton freely, and the oil in the seed 
stains the cotton. The finest and best grown 
pods should always be ke]>t together, the next 
ditto; and even a third quality of inferior ones : 
by these means the best prices would be realised 
for each, whereas if mixed altogether, the whole 
would only sell for what the inferior alone would 
fetch. 
“A gentleman who has a son in Australia, has 
previously sent me samples of this cotton, and 
they cannot do better than begin to plant all in- 
their power, and send it in quantity. I shall 
have great pleasure in selling such as they may 
send, to enable them* to get the best possible price 
for it. To show that there is no- risk, I dare at 
this moment buy five hundred bales, of from three 
hundred to five hundred pounds each, of this, at 
two shillings per pound. Do not, however, let 
them deceive themselves-, but calculate, as one of 
themselves lately said, on realising an average of' 
fifteenpence to eighteen pence per pound. Even 
this would be a very liigh price, Indian cotton- 
ranging from 3d. to 5d ; American Bowed Up- 
lands Orleans, 3fd. to 8f,d. ; Brazil, and similar- 
staple, 5d. to 8il, ; Egyptian, from 5-1- d. to 10cl. ; 
and sea -island (your variety) lid. to two shil- 
lings, fine quality to four shillings per pound. 
“ Yours very truly, 
“ Thomas Clkggi 
“ Messrs. Robert Barbour and Brothers, 
“ Manchester.. 
“ P.S. — Please get me larger samples.” 
W. C. BERBRIDGE, PRIMER, BRISBANE. 
