The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1877-10-19

0GQ lett benllu lNcm. Inc NAultI Cl 90
brought several parcels of cotton seed
from the Bahamas TO Georgia Among
them (in distinct resemblance upon my
mind} was parcel to the late Gov. Tat
nail, of Georgia, from near relation OF
his then surveyoT-general Of the Bahia
mas, and another parcel at the same time
was transmitted by Col. Roger kelsal, of
Ezuma, (whO was among the first, II not
the verv first, successful growers Of cot
tom to nv father, Mr. James Spaldin@,
then residing on II. SlmOn's island,
Georgia, IhO had been connected in
business with Col. kelsal before the
revolution. have heard that Gov.
Ta.nall then a Young man, gave his
seed to Mr. Nicholas Iunbull, lately
deceased. w!.o cultivated it from that
period successfully.
I know nv father planted his cotton
seed in 1877, upon the banks Of a small
rice field on 1t. Simon's island. The
land was rich and warm, The cotton
grew LARGE and blosspmed, but did not
ripen its fruit. 1t, however, rattOoned,
or grew from its roots, the following
year. The difficulty was now over. The
cotton adapted itself to the climate, and
every successive year nom l1S1 saw the
| lone staple cotton extending itself along
| the shores of Georgia and into South
! Carolina, where an enlightened popula-
! ton. engaged in the cultivation Of indigo,
/ readily adopted it.
All the varieties OF tho long staple, or
/ at least the germ Of those varieties, came
! from that seed.
Differences otsoil deyelop them, and diff
| ferences of local situations are developing
| them every day.
The same cotton seed planted on one
| field will give a black and naked seed,
while the same seed planted on another
field. different in soil and situation, will
be prone to run into large cotton, with
| long hollis or pods and the seed tufted at
the end with fuzz.
| should have great doubts il there is
any real difference in these apparent
varieties OF the long staple cotton. But
if there il, all who obSrve must know
that the plants when they have once IN
termingled their braiehes will require
attention for long seies of years. Sub
sequently to 1897, asthe cultivation OF
cotton extended and became profitable,
every variety of cotton that could be
cleaned from the for quarters of the
world has been tried but none of :bem
hut the one has resulted in anything
useful.
Mr.. James Hamilton, who formerly
resided in Charleston, and who now re-
sides in Philadelphia, indetatigable
in procuring seed, which he transmitted
TO his friend, Mr.. Couper, of st. Simon's.
Mr.. Copper planted some acres OF
Bourbon. 1t grew and blossomed but
did not ripen its fruit, and persisted in
the winter.
Mr.. Hamilton, sent cotton plant from
Siam. 1t grew large, was of rich purple
color, both in foliage and blossom, but
persisted also without ripening as fruit.
The Nankin cotton was introduced at
an early period-the same that Mr.. Sec
rotary GRAVEYARD distributed the seed OF
some years back. Ii was abundant in
produce, the seed fuzzy, and the wool OF
a dirty yellow color, which would not
bring even the price of other short staple
cotton. But ] knew it to produce three
hundred weight to the acre on Jekyi
island in Georgia. The Kidney SEED
cotton, that produces the seed all
clustered together, with a long, strong
staple extending from one side OF the
seed (and which believe to be the bra
lillian OF PeInambuco cotton) was tTied'
and wasthe only new species upon Which
there could have been any hesitancy,
but this, too, was given up because not
as valuable and not as productive.
I have given the names Of gentlemen
because I had no other means Of eatab-
fishing facts. Respectfully yours etc
TEoMAs SPALprSa.
Sspelo Island, April, 1925.
From an old book in Philadelphia 1t 10
seen that cotton was cultivated III the
Southern states as early a. 1747.