Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1845-06-05

from 50to75 cents per b.; 80 or 4C
lbs. will costSl5 or $50.
Woods 50 lbs. of wool, at 80 cents
per lbs ~ yards of ticking, at
u 1-2 q yard, 81 so; labor,
thread, &c., 81 75-total $13 25.
Feathers. 40 lbs. Of feathers, at &c
cents per h., $l2; Is yards of ticking,
at II IL cents per yard, ST 81 1-2;
labor, &C., 50 75-total SIG 60 1-2.
Moss mattress, ready made, $12;
shuck do, $12.
The labor of properly preparing the
shucks, constitutes its main cost, and
which cannot be done for less than the
above price, and all materials furnished.
Cotton.-30 lbs. ofcotton, at s cents
| per h., So 40; ~ yards Of ticking at
II IL cents per yard, 81 so; labor,
thread, &c., 50 75-total Sc IS.
| say nothing of straw or hay, as
they are but little used.
You thus see at a glance the relative
cost of bed or mattress made Of the
different materials. Inpoint of cheap
ness, the cotton is far preferable; IN
durability it is equal, if not superior,
to any of them. Six years use OF
them convlnces me of the fact.
AS to the next branch of my bold
assertion-their comfort and healthi-
ness-I am, you know, as fond of a
comfortable bed as any one. Myself
and family have used them for the last
six years, and we prefer them to either
hair or wool for both winter and sum-
mer. Many of our acquaintance a.
bout Jackson have used them for sew
eral years; and to them | appeal for the
correctness of my assertion.
Before I close my letter, permit me
to indulge in speculation Of the prob
able effect the universal use ofraw cot
ton for bedding, ifadopted by the peo-
pie ofthe United States, would have
upon its production.
The United States at this time is
supposed to have 20,0o0,O0O of inha-
bitants. 1t is fair to presume that, up
on an average, itrequires bed for ev-
cry three persons. This, then, would
give (say) in round numbers, 7,0O0,-
900 beds or mattresses. To make THAI
number, then, at 80 lbs. to the mat
tress, it will take 210,000,000 lbs. Of
cotton, which, at 400 lbs. to the bale,
gives 5000, 000-more than two Of
the largest crops of cotton ever raised
in the United States.
But it is not by any means to be ex-
pected that the people of the United
States would at once dispense with the
beds which they have at present in
use. l am not fully informed at what
periods, or length of time, bedding
made of hair, wool, and other materials
not mentioned, have to be laid aside,
and their place supplied by the same,
or materials ola different sort. Some
persons think years, according
to the value and durability of the ma
terials ofwhich they are made. have
not the means of ascertaining; but il
the cotton-grower can succeed in con-
vincing the people at large of the cor
rectness of these views, it must inevi-
tably lead to a gradual substitution Of
raw cotton, to the exclusion in great
degree, of other materials for bedding.
The annual amount consumed will de.
pend upon the confidence in the cheap.
ness, comfort, and healthiness of the
article.
! While l ain specializing on this sub
iect, indulge me In another. Suppose
Europe, which now consumes four
ffths of our raw cotton, should embrace
these views, and substitute it as an ar
ticle of bedding. Imagination could
hardly conceive, and arithmetic could
hardly calculate, the amount it would
take to supply the demand.
| But | tire your patience; ! will close
tits an interesting subject to the plan
ter. could write al homily upon il
land a sensible one, too, | think as
| long as a modern political dissertation
upon the tariff.
Iclaim no merit for the originality Of
these views or suggestions. Public
attention was called to this subject sew
eral years since, in series of numbers
published in the tClinton Gazette and
attributed to the pen of worry coun-
tryman, DR.. w. w. Newt correctly,
/ knownot.
Yours respectfully, Z.
Forgetting her John, | fear you
ARE forgetting me- said bright
eyed gih to her sweetheart, the other
day.
ee, Sue, have been for getting