The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1851-08-01

F2az vs. Cotton.-The public papers have lately
occupied themselves with a controversy about the
probability of finding in fax substitute for and.
victorious rival to cotton; pretended discovery by
of 80 preparing fax thattcan be spun by the same
machinery a. cotton. ThS American painters need
not be alarmed, a. the idea of such a possibility
can only be conceived by men who are entirely il
nosant OF technical matters in general and the ma
tuTe OF TAX and cotton in particular. Numerous
attempts to obtain this end have in these last fifty
years been made in Europe by superficial or SAM
guine men, but all have failed as it was to be ex.
pocted. A microscopical examination shows that
the cotton fibre 10 a hollow, cylindrical fibre, COW
cred with nnmberless points, forming kind OF fur
which provides an adherence OF one fibre to others
when in contact, upon which the mechanical effect
Of the spinning machinery lie based whilst that of
tax 10 Hat. rbbOn-like, and of a smooth, glossy
sur'ace. The consequence 10, that when one fibre
pulled out Of mass, no Others will follow or ad
nsre % u Of sown accord, unlsss drawn out by
the same means, and laid alongside of Others.
whoever has once seen the spinning Of fiax by
hand with open eyes and mind, must be satisfied OF
thls and it 10 this essential difference Of the two
materials which qualities cotton for better absorb
ang and retaining the pigments of dyes 10 the int.
| ror, and between the fine fur Of its outside
The vain attempts to overcome this natural diff.
ference, have all been based npon.the destructoni
by chemical or mechanical means, of those Qua j.
tes N which fax 10 superior to cotton. viz: the
ion91n ana greater strength and gos>iness of it
hofe. and not evena pariial success has ever been
obtained, even when fax was, by chemical means,
90 completely denaturslized. thu, il broke up int
fragments and dust in the attempts TO spin il. -
Yet the only possible result Was the invention Of
the machinery which is now used to spin max, diff
feiing IN lie features and Ss0dus operaad tom cot
ton machinery, much as one fibre d frs from
the other; requiring greater care, and Doing les
work; and even this is only Obtained with the par
tal loss Of the strength Of ihs fax fibre, a. it 10 in
di:pulable that in this respecs machine spun liner
| isinferior to hand spun. may, with this, barely
mention that fsx IS an agricultural crop, is one o
the most precautions, most capriciOus in its demant
and choice Of soil and climate, most uncertain IL
its results. well in the soil in the divers abo
rotls and difficult operations it requires, after ben
cut aud before il becomes fit for spinning.
Hence it will be, that this elder sister will al
ways walk alongside Of lis younger competitor
cotton, and always command price exactly 81
much higher az il warranted by its more difficu
and labOrious culture and manipulation, its super
or strength and durability, its greater bfillla0cy
smoothness Of touch, and olher qualities, al strei
AZ wax candles will always be pr. fsrred to tallov
candles and wood-cocks be better paid for thai
mutton. GA. s.
journal Of Commerce.