The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1861-02-15
WHOLE NO., SIG.
South American Cotton.

The Albany Journal publishes letter
from Mr.. H. s. Sanford, Of Derby, Con.
nectlcut, who has recently returned from
South America, and who is intimately ac-
quainted with the capabilities of certain
portions OF South America for raising COT
ton. lie says:
ga! our very doors-nearer to us than
Texas-on our great route Of commune
cation with California and Oregon-des-
tined, il we wish it, to be a Free State
OF this Confederacy-are the Central
American States, with cotton lands capa-
bic Of producing all that we shall ever
need. and it only requires enterprise 10
develop them.
/ have, in the past four or Eve years,
travelled extensively in Central and Sonth
America, and hazard nothing in saying
that there are more unoccupied lands,
capable Of producing cotton as well as
those Of Texas, outside Of our Union south
Of us, than in the whole area Of the pro-
jected Cotton Confederacy. l met il,
indigenous, in Venezuela, New Granada
and the Central American States, and in
all these counties the wild cotton is very
aommonly used for domestic purposes.
Peru, Venezuela and New Granada,
apd know no, how many States beside.
export cotton Of very superior quality
When on the Isthmus,a a few weeke since,
1900 bales went over the mail road, COM
ing from Peru and destined for England.
A sample Of this cotton had priced here,
and was told that, although badly ginned,
il was Of very fine staple, and its value
in Liverpool, in that imperfect condition.
would be 19 cents per pound.
In Venezuela are immense fields for the
development Of its culture, and the great
delta of the Orinoco is unsurpassed as cot
ion lands. 1 found it cultivated in the
rich valley Of the Aragua, near Valencia,
and was told that from 800 10 100000
bales (weighiDg from $50 10 500 lbs.
were exported mostly to Germany, and
that its price in Valencia was from l3 10
10 s cents per pound.
The lands bordering the Magdalena, In
New Granada, are capable OF producing
excellent cotton, and till lately superior
quality, Inferior, was told, to Sea Island
was raised for expectation at San Benito,
and exported from Carthagena. l have
seen the expectation OF cotton some thirty
years since, from New Granada, put down
at 100000 bales annually. Little is now
exported or cultivated, / presume, al.
though 1 saw it growing luxuriantly, and
in use among the people. The States on
the Magdalena have seeded from the Con-
federacy lately ,and having been engaged,
in consequence. in war with The General
Government for some. rcenths past, thefe
is little done in the way OF cultivation Of
it or anything, the fields being devastated
or abandoned. iaborers dispersed, either
to fill the ranks OF the revolutionary army,
or to the woods to avoid that fate; and the
people, ruined by their leaders, were hop
ing 10 be relieved by conquest from the
politicians who were preying upon their
substance. With peace, / have no doubt
cotton could be successfully and profta-
bly, cultivated, and in large quantities, in
these States.
Mexico abounds in rich cotton lands,
not alone on the Gulf, but on the west
coast. A considerable amount of ma
chiuery is being shipped now from New
York for Acapulco, destined for cotton
cleaning in that neighborhood.'