Middletown transcript., 1869-11-06
SEA ISLAND COTTON.

of cotton is the sea island, cultivated with
in the limits Of Georgia and South Carolina,
on islands belonging to those States. 1t is
distinguished by the length, sickness and
strength Of its staple, and is manufactured
in Europe into the finest kinds of fabrics.
Lace is made of it not much inferior to
linen. Itconsequently commands a higher
price than any other cotton in the markets
in the world. The States referred to have
been engaged in its culture for upward of
three-fourths Of century, and many large
fortunes have been made by it. Attempts
have been made to raise it in other parts
of the world, in the same lattudes, but
without success. 1t is raised in the low
lands of South Carolina and Georgia, bor-
dering on the sea-board, but it is an infc-
rior article to that of the sea islands, and in
order to maintain an approximation to the
latter in quality, new and fresh seed has
to be obtained from the islands every few
years. Transferred into the interior, to the
midland districts, it rapidly degenera:es
from what is called long staple into short
staple cotton.
There are different classes of the sea is
land cotton seeds, which are we'll under
stood by sea island planters, some of whom
have been very curious and particular in
the selection of the seed.
When it was ascertained by Kinsley
Burden, Esq. a scrutinizing observer,
that some stalks in his cotton field pro-
duced bolls more remarkable for the firm
ness, beauty and length of the fibre than
tho 0root hill Of h;o oro,, bo tool, Maine
to select those stalks from the rest. and
have the bolls ginned separately; and be
found that the seed was crowned with a
silky tuft that distinguished it from the
ordinary black seed cotton. This seed he
took care, the next season, to plant in a
field separate from the rest of his crop,
and succeeded in raising an article, in
fcrior in quantity, but far superior in quail
ity, and commanding a much higher price
abroad than what was raised by his sea
island neighbors. While he kept his own
secret, he enjoyed monopoly of this su-
perior article, and was rapidly becoming
rich by his discovery 1t did not long,
however, remain concealed from the scru-
tiny of prying eyes. The temporary sue
cess of this gentleman led sea island plan
ters generally to be more attentive to the
selection of seed, and it was finally ascer-
tanned that of the black seed cotton, which
had been planted indiscriminately, there
were several grades, capable of being dis
tinctly marked by the superiority of the
staple. 1t then became favorite amuse-
ment of planters and their families after
the desert was removed from the table,
to cover it with small heaps of cotton
seeds and have such as were marked by
any peculiar traits separated from the rest,
with view to subsequent experiments.
By this means the culture of the black
seed cotton was carried to the highest de-
gree of perfection; the quantity of the
crop being diminished, however, in pro-
portion to the fneness of the staple.
The soil of those islands, in its natural
state, is sandy and barren, and is rend-
cred productive only by skilful and
laborious tillage. The best dressing for
the land is marsh mud, which the neigh
borhood supplies in abundance. The plant
as compared with that of the mainland,
rises only to medium height, and the
largest product seldom exceeds one hun
dred pounds cleaned cotton per acre. The
sea breezes impart peculiar softness to
the atmosphere in those latitudes, and the
climate is supposed to contribute more to
the idiosyncracies and superiority of this
queenly plant, than any other cause what
ever Those islands, before the late war,
were dotted all over with palaces, indica-
tive of the wealth of their aristocratic in
habitants; but during and since the oc-
currence of that great calamity, these
garden spots of South Carolina and Geor-
gia were, and have been, to great ex-
tent surrendered to the sable race, who,
we imagine, have not conduced much to
" the march of improvement" Within
the last year or two very fine products of
sea island cotton have been raised in the
vicinity of this city .-New Orleans Times.