The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1857-04-30

'EThe Sea Island is the only kind growing at the
islands, so far as my information extends. Its
growth is amazing. That which [ planted ran over
twenty feet. There are thousands OF acres on the
island of Maui adapted to the growth of cotton, as 1t
requires a dry, loamy soil; and from information
derived from others, 1 have no doubt there are also
large tracts on Hawaii and Kauai adapted to the Gull
tiyation of cotton.
GA great advantage at the islands over the United
States, in the cultivation of cotton would be, that it
does not require here to be planted every year, while
cotton could be picked ten months out of every twelve.
In the United States they raise from five to eight hun
dred pounds to the acre; here, say you raise five
hundred pounds the first picking, and five hundred
during the remaining five months, and you have a
thousand pounds to five or eight hundred in the same
time. In the States it has to be planted every year,
while here, it would not require to be planted oftener
than once in five years, and it would neither decrease
in quantity nor deteriorate in quality sufficient to
justify its planting oftener.
$50 far as my observation extends, the cotton plant
here has fewer diseases than in the States, only the
boll-worm and the cotton lice, and these to no great
extent. In planting here I would recommend to have
the plants about eight feet apart, or nine feet, if the
soil is very rich and strong. The plants will require
different treatment in different localities, and expert
ence alone can direct the farmer. Seed for planting
should be ginned Immediately, and spread upon the
floor to dry. If the cotton seed be not wanted, pack
the seed cotton away in the house, to remain until g.
gentle heat is perceived, when it is in a good condi-
ton to gin. When heated so as to become perceptibly
warm to the hand, it should be opened and spread
out to cool. Cotton thus heated will gin faster and
have a softer feel, will not be so brittle and will have
a rich creamy color. The seeds are useful for oil,
and as food for hogs; thrown in a. pile until they
become heated, they are good for manure.'
CULTIVATION IN THE u. Sc After the ground is
prepared for the plough, by cutting up and raking
into rows the old stalks, and then burning them, it is
laid off by running burrows 8 or 9 feet apart. On
these burrows, beds are formed with O. plough, and
the entire surface of the ground ~ploughed. An open
ing Is made IN the top of each bed with a coulter,
into which the seed is strewed continuously, and
then covered by turning two burrows over them.
When the cotton is up, and three leaves appear on
the young plants, they are thinned out with a hoe,
leaving the others standing at distances of Sc inches.
Afterwards, another thinning takes place., as it would
be unsafe at first to reduce the plants to one in each
place, they being at that age tender and liable to be
injured by north winds. The cultivation is continued
with the plough and hoe until 'corn picking'' COM
mences. ''The highest yield of cotton on our best allu-
vial and cane lands is three bales to the acre, Of 500
lbs. each, and could all the cotton be saved, the ave-
rage in favorable seasons would not fall short of this
quantity. But high winds, heavy-beating or long
continued rains, and drought, are all very injurious,
andfender the cotton crop the NEST precarious raised
by us. The average yield is a bale and a half to the
acre."-Patent Office Report, 1854.
GATHER1NG.-"Like type-setting, contemplating is,
and must still continue to be, performed by the fin
gers but it's rate has become as accelerated as if some
new motive power was applied in the process. Fifty
years since, so pounds a day was accounted fair work.
Now the children double this and 200 pounds is not
unfrequently the average Of the whole gang of hands,
to say nothing of those who pick their 400 or 500
pounds of bolls. The cotton is gathered from the
hollis in the field in sacks, suspended over the neck
and shoulder, and from which it is emptied from time
to time into large baskets, made generally of white
oak splints, and capable of holding about 100 or $50
pounds. 1t is generally weighed at noon and at
night, in the field, and the baskets emptied into q
wagon, hauled to the %gin-yard, and spread upon
scaffolds, exposed to the sun, to dry. 1t is there
picked over and threshed by such hands as are suited
to this light employment. ibid.
The Importance which attaches to cotton, considered
as an article of commerce., and the probability that it
will at no distant day be extensively cultivated in
these islands, induces us TO give IN JnlS cOnnecuOn q
brief historical account of its cultivation in the diff
ferent countries where it has been found to thrive,
with the amount consumed, cost of production and
other facts connected with it, which will be of interest.
The great cotton producing countries of the present
day are situated between the parallels of 18o and $50
North latitude; embracing the southern part of the
United States, the West Indies, Egypt, Persia, the
northern part of British India, and the southern part
of China. It is grown to some extent in the more
tropical countries of central Africa, and the northern
part of South America. Brazil is the only country
south of the equator in which it is cultivated to any
extent. The Isle of Bourbon, situated in latitude
south, corresponding to that of the Sandwich Islands
north, has been celebrated for the superior quality OF
its cotton.
cotton belt, in which cotton is either not cultivated
at all, or to an inconsiderable extent, are Arabia, the
great desert of Sahara, end the Barbary States, IN
northern Africa, Mexico and the Sandwich Islands
In China, cotton has been cultivated in gardens from
remote antiquity, but was never turned to any use
full account, until the end of the thirteenth century
1t is now cultivated in China to a large extent; but
not in sufficient quantities to supply the home con-
sumption of the country. The importations into
China from Bombay and other parts of India are now
about 15,000,0 900 pounds annually. 1t was found tt
be Indigenous in Peru and Mexico by the Spaniards
and constituted the principal clothing material OF thu