The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1894-11-20

SISCSS--R hSI discovery OF NOCCOn-
Seed Oil---The Future Great
Industry of the South -
Its Present De-
velopment.
The wide subject of cotton produc.
tion and supply may properly be intro
duced by summary of the produ ;tion
of that staple in America each year
| since its first cultivation in the South.
The cotton plant was first discovered
by Cortez, in Mexico, and was largely
used by the Spaniards, as an article of
clothing, during the days of their occu
pancy of that country. The data as to
the use Of cotton by the Spanish set
tiers in Mexico, at those early dates,
are found recorded in the history of
those periods. Recent discoveries in
| Arizona and Nevada have brought to
light from Indian mounds, cotton, bolls,
with cotton attached thereto, in perfect
condition, leading to the very natural
inference that cotton, if not indigenous
to the soil of those territories when only
savages occupied them, must have been
brought from unknown countries to
the Westward
To Virginia is due the credit of being
the first place that cotton was cult
waited in the American colonies, in
1921, the seed having been brought
from the West Indies, and planted as
an experiment. Experiments were also
made with the seed as far north as
Maryland, with such success that suff
cient quantities of cotton were raised
near the Pennsylvania line during the
| American Revolution to supply the
wants Of domestic use during that
period. From such a beginning, the
production Of cotton in this country
spread, in a very limited way. After
| 100 the cultivation of the cotton plant
was extended southwark, into the then
territory of Louisiana, Arkansas and
Alabama. In 1712, a French planter
in Louisiana, invented a machine for
separating the seed from the fiber. The
need for such machine would indicate
that the production at that time had
made considerable progress. In 1884
the first seed was planted in Georgia,
having been sent to the trustees of that
province by Philip Miller, of Chelsea,
England. In 1885, the Assembly of Vir-
gInia passed resolution, that all per
sons having proper land should Guilt
vate and raise quantity of cotton, not
| 0nlv foVp ho TJcn nF hTc NuUVo FoYo0ilr1 h1lf
to supply the others on moderate terms.
1t is recorded that in 1890, William FL
liot, of South Carolina, was very sue
ceFsful with his cotton crop, having
raised two hundred thousand pounds.
Such is the condition of the production
of cotton at the period we find the in
vention of the Whitney cotton-gin. The
following table may be interesting, to
note the export trade of cotton from
this country from 1876 to 1892.
In 1876 Samuel AuspOrguer, aSwede,
living in Georgia, took to London
sample of cotton raised on his farm.
This dates the first expectation of
American cotton to Great Britain.
From that year until 1747 the export
did not amount to much, in which year
several bags of cotton, valued at and
II g. per bag, were exported from
| Charleston South Carolina. There is
no record of another shipment until
1854, when eight bales were exported
to Liverpool from the United States.
In 1890 three bales were shipped from
| New YORK, fourteen from Virginia, ten
from Charlie ston, and three bales from
South Carolina to Liverpool. In 1884
fourteen bales were exported to Great
Britain, of which eight were seized as
improperly entered, on the ground that
so much cotton could not be produced
in the United States. In 1886 five bales
were exported to Liverpool; in 1886
seven hundred pounds; in 1887 sixteen
thousand pounds; in 1888 fifty light
thousand pounds; 1889 one hundred
and twenty seven thousand five hun
dred pounds; in 1890 fourteen thousand
pounds. There can be no reason for
the marked decline during the latter
wear. other than the failure of crops.
In 1891 one hundred and eighty nine
thousand pounds were exported to Liv-
erpool, the price averaging 26 cents per
pound. In 1892 one hundred and thirty
eight thousand three hundred and
twenty eight pounds we're exported.
With the year 1898 the new era in cot
ton production opened. In that year
the inventioa of the Whitney gin great
| l. sonsl;tnAnd tho indnstrU PRIOR TO