The Feliciana Democrat. (Clinton, La.) 1855-186?, 1857-05-02
NO.. l..

NeNb 10 tnis DcVll OF Ilckef are tnc iopTeau-
or and Bcaters of the factory. Their purpose
is a double oue--irst to blow and beat open
the cotton more cllectually than the Devil has
done, preparatory to cardng; and also to blow
out the impurities, which have cluded the gin
on the plantation and the Devil in the factory.
From three to five Bcatcrs are in use generally
in factories. These Beatcrs ale made to re.
volvc at great spced-say 1900 times in a
minute-and Of course are eminently dcstruc-
tive of the fibre, in the proportion in which
they are used.
Rejecting a moment on the operations Of
Mr.. lIcnry's Gin and Lap-that instead Of its
yielding 1000 pounds Of lint cotton a day, as
is required Of our gins, 700 pounds is all he
allows it to produce for 500 bale planter--t
is very apparent, that this gin will cast from it
u far greater portion Of notes and leaf than
the 1000 pound gin does. As the lint is taken
by his brush in minute particles comparatively
from the gin, the lghtncss and thinncss of the
fleece, naturally permits the notes and leaf, by
their greater specific gravity, to fall out; and
his Gin being designed the more especially to
cleanse the fibre than is directly required Of the
common gin, one Of the duties Of the Spreader
and Bcatcrs is entirely anticipated by this pro-
cess; viz: that Of blowing open the cotton, and
very much also of its remaining duty--that Of
throwing out the notes aud leaf For the
lower number of yarns of Which the great bulk
Of the consumption of cotton is composed-H
the gin acts in conformity with its proper fnnc-
ton, which it will do, if allowed--the use of
the Bcatcrs will be completely superseded, as
is that of the Devil and Picker.
Many thoughts crowd upon us in relation to
this matter, which we have neither time nor
space to enlarge upon to-day. The subject is
certainly one of deep interest, not merely to
the practical planter, but to the political econ
omist, and demands the careful attention of
each class. Tho gin house is in its nature. n
part Of cotton factory. What the necessity
of two sets of bindings; of two motive powers;
the one on the plantation, and the other in
Lowel or Manchester-and for the expense of
which, the planter in reality is made to snffer?
BY the present process of the conversion of seed
cotton into yarns, we use two factories and
two motive powers, together with a cumber-
some machinery for pressing and bailing, and
q still more wastcful and destructive machinery
for nnpressing, and picking, and spreading, and
beating; or in other words for restoring the
cotton (and impcrfccty at that) to the state
in which it left the gin. Why not bring the
cards. the drawing and spinning frames, and tho
reels along side of the gin--throwing aside the
expensive and wastcful machinery that now in
tcryenc between the two? The planter has the
factory building in his gin house; has already
the motive power. Why not save for his own
pocket then, the expense of new buildings and
power; of pressing, of picking, spreading and
beating; the waste; the injury to the fabric, and
the profit now passing into the purses of other
sections and lands? What necessity Of oil
these intermediate processes, with the cOnsc-
qnent expense, waste and injury, if the carder
and spinning frame can be attached to the GIN
and the seed cotton converted into yarns in
the same building, and by the same motive
power that the planter now uses to make cot
ton bales? Such considerations rs these will
force themselves upon every rejecting mind;
and as protesting to inaugnratc u great revolu-
tion in the cotton industry, Mr., Henrys inn
proycmcnt is bound to receive careful study.
1t is asked what immediate advantage to
the planter docs this Improvement promise.
Mr. Henry gave us in reply to similar Gues-
tion an instance of one plantation in Mississippi
where the Improvement was ordered, and which
he cited as Il general illustration.
1t was plantation of coo bales. The pro.
prictor has three story ginhouse and q good
0tN"h ohSiiH. ~ Picpaic ioi Vic icecPIIoh Vi
the machinery, a lirmer floor in the second
story has to be laid, and that was all. He
now runs tour ginstand5 His gin and lap
will be placed in the basement, and his spinning
machines in the second story His gin house
is 40XGS feet--thcre is room in his second story
for more machinery than he wants. AS his
crop might fall to $50 bales, machinery to gin
and spin this quantity is now being prepared,
s.therc can be added at any time the machinery
for the other $50 bales. His gin and spinning
machines will cost at the factories north, about
81 300; his spinner some 500 year.
With this Investment and the attention OF
the spinner, through his adoption of Mr. Hen
ry's Improvement, with one man for his gin,
one lad for his cards, eight girls, of from about
8 to II years of age, five women such as can
be about actively, though not suited forplowing
or picking cotton making total of fifteen
operatiycs--with these. Mr.. Henry says he
can put his seed cotton into yarns; aud these
yarns will produce him as much as his ninety
hands--as it takes an average of ninety hands
make $50 bales Of cotton.
But this is not all, BY thus putting his
cotton directly into yarns upon his plantation,