Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1859-09-27
Sandy and Dusty Cotton.

The following extracts from Cotton Cir
cular of WM. z. WRIGHT d Co, of New York
are not without interest to our cotton plan
tiers, and we publish them for their benefit
The sandy and dusty cotton complained of,
results from the very common habit of pick
ing cotton from the ground, which has been
beaten ont by rains and winds. Hence, it is
generally full of sand and DUST and accor-
dinghy Injuries very materially the better cot
ton, with which it is too generally thrown:
SANDY CoTTon-The severe losses upon
shipments of sandy cotton. during the past
season, seem To demand some notice, and the
following positions in connection with the
subject may be worthy of consideration.
lst.--Tbere was no sandy cotton worth
mentioning fifteen or twenty years ago. and
indeed very little ten years ago.
Zd-In the last few years the quantity has
increased in a ratio far beyond the increase
OF crop.
3d-The cotton gin. it is believed, has been
improve in this interval, or at least, has not
deteTiOratrd.
4th-This mode Of adulterating cotton be-
gan in the New Orleans districts, but has
since extended more or less over the whole
cotton growing area.
saleable at Liverpool, because of its super
abundance, and when a buyer has been found,
the reduction in price hus been twice or even
four times us great as in purchase on this
side. In fact, it has frequently happened,
that the loss on ten bales of sandy stuff in IL
lot of one hundred, has much more than
counterbalanced the profit upon the ninety.
6ih-Sandy cotton isdestructive to macbin-
merry, for though all cotton is cleaned before
10 tfnIno Of A,auf
will remain, and greatly increase the wear
and tear of axles, &c: hence, many spinners
will not buy it at any price.
Supposing the proceeding positions to be
correct, or even nearly correct. if is impos-
sible to avoid the conclusion, that the adul-
teration of cotton, by the admixturc of sand
and dirt, is, to say the least OF it, ,cllL neg
ligcnce on the part of the planter, who has
thus far profitcd 10y IA course he would have
avoided and been ashamed of few years
ago.
Under these circumstances we presume, the
remedy for this great evil can only be eflec-
tually applied through the purchasers of cot
ton, and it must he palpable to them, that If
they fail 10 apply it, they will not only
damage their own interests. but the true in
tcrests of the planter. Let them. therefore,
positively refuse to have tails of sandy and
dirty cotton forced upon them by the factors
III 'uI iiS IOhHu ttStS' auu utCllUc 10 purchase
sandy cotton ut all. except at the fullest e.
duction in price which its supcr-abundance
has complied them TO accedr to at London
and elsewhere; and let all importers in
Europe frame their orders To this country
upon similar principles They may, for
time, be Obliged To pay n relatively higher
price for the clean qualities but they will
soon bring the evil of adulteration with sand
to an end.
II = =
and therefore, almost unsaleable cotton, than
ever before. and il remains to he seen, what
further reduction there will I've in the price
of such stuff when the cleaner qualities of
the new crop become abundant.
The culpable negligence among onr plan
tcrs has contributed To promote the energetic
measures bv which the Cotton Supply Asso-
citation in England has encouraged the pro-
duction OF cotton in so many parts of the
world. A rapid increase is now taking place
in its export from Africa; and the increase
OF production in India has been at a greater
rate. in each period Of five years, than in the
United States; and il is undeniable. that
while our cotton has been detcriorating in
quality and cleanliness, East India and other
cotton has been constantly improving IN
these resp, cts. When, therefore, we consider
that in eighteen months there will he al un-
line Of railroad from the interior
of India TO Bombay, and that the careless
aud wilful adulteration Of our cotton with
sand aud dirt will stimulate the ratio of in
crease in India, &c. large as il has become,
It appears To us, that our planters are
jeoparding their pre-"minent influence aud
power the great producers OF this neces-
sary article.
Ii must not be forgotten that in the past
lew years there has been more demand for
India cotton IN Europe than could be met by
the supply, and that 1t has been solely in
of the inadequate supply from
India shat 80 much Of our low, dusty aud
sandy cotton has been used by spinncrs, at
the price they have paid tor 1t in Liverpool.