Morris tribune., 1890-02-19
COTTON.
For MORRIS Tribune.

Bureau of Southern News, [
RALEIGH, N. G.
!. AnsN~sNes of letters from the South
which did not treat fully of cotton, its
production aud uses, would, If not q
failure, be greatly wanting in that
which is of vital interest to this part
OF the country, The cotton crop de-
mands more labor of man and beast;
covers q larger urea during the grow
ing season; possesses greater COM
mercial value; and eXerts in its sale
and use a greater influence than all
other crops of the Southern States.
The Creator, in the changes to which
He has subjected the surface of the
globe, has kindly prepared this por-
ton for II gain to mankind In the
raising of cotton. But the Southern
States have by no means u monopoly
of its production. Itgrows the world
around in ali lands lying between
thirty six degrees of latitude, north
and south of the Equator. And,
where the other conditions which de-
termine climate are favorable, it is
raised in this country north of thirty
six degrees. We raise enough for the
use of the whole United States, and Il
part of what is used in the manufac-
tories of England and France.
While we hold no monopoly in the
Worlds product of cotton, we do hold
the position of chief importance in
guilty. In the regiea included be-
tween the southwest boundary of
Texas and the Atlantic Ocean, lie the
best cotton lands of the globe; and on
those lands are raised the two best
varieties of the known world. These
varieties are the Upland Short Staple
and the Sea Island Long Staple. The
short staple produces lint aboue one
and one fourth inches In length, and
numerous seeds covered with down.
The Sea Island produces q lint about
a half inch longer and seeds nearly
bare. The short staple will grow on
AL cotton lands. The Sea Island will
grow only on the islands off the coast
of Georgia and South Carolina. The
Sea Island cotton commands the
highest price in all markets. The
short stople constitutes the bulk of
cotton raised and sold from our cotton
ports. Egypt and Brazil produce
large quantities of cotton; but the
products of both are inferior to ours,
either in the length OF lint or in the
nature of the seed.
Cotton has been called King. King
In this country not by choice of people
o because he has inherited crowns
and gorgeous palaces and royal do
MAINS, but by Divine right indeed,
which has crowned him with long
hair and anointed him with precious
oil.
PLANTING.
The first process is to prepare the
seed for planting. The seed is about
the size of a small bean 1t is of an egg
| shape, and covered with a very tough
shell similar tt the shell of an apple
seed. On the outer surface of the shell
is a fuzzy substance, the remains OF
cotton which the gin did not take oil.
Tx SCCI L1uSI UC lO11Co Ia NbD VI
ashes to separate it as the fuzz causes
the seeds to adhere to II another.
The seed is first sprinkled with water,
ashes or dust scattered over it, and
with a hoe it is mixed and rolled until
the seeds are separated. Some farmers
have an arrangement for rolling the
seed by putting it into a barrel with q
shaft through it to which a crank is
attached. the seed is put into the
barrel, after being dampened, ashes
thrown in with it, and the barrel is
kept in motion till the seeds are
separated.
The land to be planted is ridged in
rows about four feet apart, according
to the fertility of the soil; the richer
the land the greater should be the dis
lance between the rows. The old way
OF planting cotton vas to open a
trench along the top of the ridge in
which the seed was sown. A pillow
having a short piece of board attached
to it was then run SO that the board
by dragging along the ridge, covered
the seed. And one of the funniest
sights that a northern man cal be-
hold is u solemn darkey and his
BOSOM friend, a mule, chasing a light
southern pillow around, through the
yielding mellow soil, with the board
attached, round and round a ten acre
lot: I can imagine that Erwin Rus
sell, the poet, saw such a sight previ-
Gus to writing acknowledgements" L
think / can see him now, sitting on a
fence, jotting down an occasional
note in his log book of memory, while
Northumberland is addressed as fol-
lows:
You. Nebuchadnezzah, whoa, sab!
Via il you tryin' to go, a h
I'd hab you tor to know, sab,
rs a-holdin' OBJ the lines.
You better stop dat pranctn'
You's pow'ful fond oh dancin';
But I'll bet my yeah's advancin'
Dat I'll cure you OBJ your shines"
Another round of the mellow row
is made; the darkie's eyes shine with
| pleasure; but that there Is a differ
ence of opinion some where between
the pair, is evidenced by further re-
marks:
"Look heah, mule! Better min out-
Fust ting you know you'll fin out
How quick Il wear dis line out
On your ugly, stubborn back.
You needn't try to steal up
An lf DAT precious heel up;
You got to cover desc rows up,
You has. sab, for q fac"
The mule behaves better; the poet
yawns and nonchalantly whites a
persimmon stick. The darkie, be.
coming satisfied with the mules &C.
tions sings:
Oar, OATS de way to do it;
He's comm right down to it!
Jes watch him plowin' troo it!
Dis niger amt no fool.
Some folks dey would a , beat him;
Now. dat would only heat him