Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-11-19
FROM OUR PARIS CORRESPONDENT
CULTIVATION OF COTTON IN ALGERIA
PANS, ocropER 20, 1853.

esng 10 many OF your SUBSCRIBERS anu 10 lntegeh men
generally throughout the United States cannot doubt
that the following report, long it is, upon the long
staple sea island cotton Of Algeria its culture prospects,
qualities and value to manufacturers will prove as
ceptabe to your columns any thing could send you.
The article is from the pen Of Mr.. EDMUND Cox the
of large spinning mills Lille in the north Of
France 1t Mr. Cox who introduced into Algeria the
culture Of this species Of cotton and who the
great exhibition of London the remarkable specimens of
simple and twisted threads obtained from cotton produced
in Algeria in 1850 This report IS addressed by Mr.. G.
to Marshal ST. ARSAuD, the Minister Of War; aud find
it published in the Monieur Of the 18th instant The
report says:
Algeria it would seem has good cause to congratulate
itself having undertaken the culture of Georgia long
staple cotton the production of which has hitherto been
the almost exclusive monopoly Of the American planters
OF Georgia and South Carolina. Ii appears to be now
perfectly demonstrated that this rich and interesting cu
ture is capable of becoming of the profitable
elements of Algerian production Ii results in fact from
experiments and comparisons which have been enabled
to make during the last three years upon Algerian long
staples produced from good American seeds planted
suitable localities; that the species far from degenera
ing, acquires beneath African sun strength energy
and ductlity, with every appearance of the best Amer
types that in word it offers all the conditions re-
qulred for the spinning of the high npJes which
for the manufacture Of the aces, tules and the beaut
full tissues from the factories Of Tarare Saint Quentin
Alsace, &C. Every thing has concurred to confirm the
hopes which conceived upon examining In 1850 the spe
cimens Of Georgia island cotton grown from seeds
which had been furnished by the Minister of War
at the exposition of 1910 The result of that first
pertinent in long staple cotton was in fact as favorable
could be desired The cotton grown IN the Government
nursery at Algers, under tie care OF MIR. Hardy had
preserved the perfect resemblance with the extra
fine American cotton that supplied with seeds, and
therefore valued it at francs the kogramme, (6S cents
per h. avordupos, the current price at that date 1t
would now (ih October, 1889 be worth ii francs S2
aaCr cft
Minister Of War; had Of this cotton spun in order
to fix exactly its value for manufacture Ordinarily fine
Georgia cottons. especially the high numbers
manufactured til they have remained year or more in
bags. This gives them greater suppleness and ducy
for spinning But, notwithstanding its extreme want of
age, obtained from the Algerian long staple grown in
1850 most beautiful articles to wit simple threads from
the NUMBERS 200 and $50 $780, and twisted threads
of the number 400 These articles exhibited the
Universal Exhibition of London wth the fine collection
of Algerian cotons, and contributed happy to be-
eve to establish satsfsatory the eminent qualities for
manufacturing purposes possessed by the material
which had been employed for their produ oton Every
boiy remembers the magnificent testimonials of appro
baton which rendered by the international jury
the Algerian cottons and especially to the species known
the long staple, (sea island need not, therefore,
particularly refer to them but think it highly i'm
portan to make known the results of the COMPARE
tive examinations and Of the experiments to which
have subjected the Algerian coons of this description
shall thus complete, by adding the confederation of my
testimony the considerations upon this subject which
have already been published emanatng from Of my
honorable colleagues in the spinning business NJ Feray
OF Esonnes After the early experiments made upon the
cottonS OF the crop OF 1850 it became important
together several successive crops and the cottons
obtained by different planters in different of eu
ture In order to ascertain satisfactorily whether the
Georgia long staple was really gained to Algeria and
pable OF becoming matter Of permanent practical, and
profitable culture. This comparison have just made by
means of samples which have been forwarded to me- in
addition to the fine bags of the crop Of 1852 previously
sent me by NJ the Director of the Central Nursery at
Algiers, and marked Nos 6, Z, s, 10, and H. should
remark here that the cottons OF these FIVE bags of
very various appearances According the information
received from the Director of the Central Nursery three
OF these bags weighing altogether 536 logrammes
pounds contained the sea island cotton gathered by the
planters Of the province Of Agers At FIRST sight these
coons seemed TO to DC of secondary quality its shade
was dull and its staple defective therefor styled the
bags marked No. and No IL ai-lookag tnd pery i'll
looking, (djd fort laid j and bag No toers6 (passa-
tel expected to FIND Iii lag No. 10, weighing I'D klo
grammes, 269 pounds AMI reported as being the crop
Of 'ne central nursey, much superior article but was
uoh surprised to fnd the contents Of bag marked No 10
inferior in quality those Of the three bags already
examined had to style this 6ad However, upon SUBJ
sequent more careful and particular examination Of these
Tour bags discovered that an unfortunate mixture had
been made Of The Georgia long staple with other species
OF Wmch was impossible to determine precisely the true
character Several layers Of the genuine article appeared
here and there in the midst Of the confused mass but
the beautiful cotton which 1850 gave noticed that
had been very badly gnned and with iron cylinders 1t
looked badly, of dull shade its staple was broken
II had lost its strength and caused these coons
to be beaten with rod is usually done with American
long staples This operation caused great quantity Of
wool to fly, and was than ever persuaded that
they had been torn and injured in the ginning The Di
rector Of the Central Nursery in report which the Min
lister Of War has communicated to me- explains how the
ginning performed He first used wooden cylinders,
but soon abandoned them because he they became
heated and took fire at the point Of insertion He then
tried copper cynders but these breke frequently and
lagf,l Fbn,vl II.
iron cylinders and these worked satisfactorily that he
adopted them for his gins | have not 10
consider here the rapdy Of the operation Of ginning
grant thatin given time the iron cylinders will render
greater amount Of ginned cotton but the important
question Is Howis it gnned, and how is the quality Of
the cotton affected by the operation? Now | contend
that the iron cylinders in contact with the long staple un
gnned cotton asd pressing they do the oily Seeds
must necessarily soil and tarnish the wool They also
tear weaken and otherwise njure the FIBRE TINS deprv
ing the cotton Of its most valuable qualities myself
made experiments with gin like that described in the
report having grooved iron cylinders and my cotton was
rendered cut and torn like that Of Algers then tried
rol1s Of hard lockwood, of small diameter and only
~ sentmeres e. 9l0 inches) long These rendered me
handsome cotton and perfectly unnjured; rupture
no damage of any sort the whteness and natural ustre
preserved shoSd add that the high price usually paid
by manufacturers for the fine qualities Of the Georgia
long staple cotton does not permit the adoption Of less
rapid process OF ginning, Of in harmony with
the minute care and attention required in the preparation
of this delicate production Wooden cylinders therefore
appear to be preferable all respects to those Of copper
Dr. iron But the node decidedly be preferred all
processes IS that Of separating the seed from
The cetton by the Aand We thus get clearer cotton
more beautiful 70 the eye and preserve in original per-
lection all its admirable natural qualities We thus get
'lso more homogeneous cotton for this method permits
he separation from the Of the inferior and
DOLLS. These cottons Of the er'ra fine qualities when
yinned by hand, worth from to francs per kilo
yramme more than If gnned by \ machine. For long
line ginning by hand the oniy method used in Amer
"A for the superior qualities Of Georgia island cotton