The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1901-10-17
COTTON AND COTTON OIL.
Raleigh Morning Post.

Mr.. ID. A. Tompkins. OF Charlotte,
is the author of and has recently pub
lished the most interesting and in
structivs book on Cotton and Cotton
Oiln ever written. The book Is
elaborate in it's history OF the evolu-
ton OF cotton and cotton seed and is
attractive in style style and design.
Though the cotton plant and its pro-
ducts are most important factors in
the growth and development OF our
country it's history has heretore heen
neglected.
The book is divided into three
parts, to-wit: % Cotton" Got
ton OIL" and ~ Correlated Indus
tries" 1t contains one hundred and
twenty-seven figures illustrating all
the machinery ever used in the pro-
duction. ginning and marketing the
cotton from the "roller gin" to the
.'saw GIN" Whitney's spike gin"
with its intermittent action" and
Holmes "saw gin" with its ''con-
tinuous action" are fully illustrated
and explained; and it is clearly de-
monstrated that Holmes was the in
ventor OF the saw gin. Every pro-
cess in the manufacture OF cotton seed
oils also illustrated. T he book contains
colored plates showing the different
types of negroes varying according to
the different parts Of Africa they
were taken from and illustrative Of
the negro as laborer in the cotton
fields. The chapter on the 'planta-
ton before the war" is most impor-
tant addition to the literature OF
sociology as it contains discussion
OF the fundamental differences Of the
character of the white and black
races. Mr.. Tompkins says: at is
totally at variance with the Anglo
Saxon character to live in absolute
subsection and yet love the master.
The life on tho plantation was one OF
absolute msstership on on side and OF
absolute subsection on the other, with
the easiest sort Of personal inter-
course between the two, and affection
on both sides" He further shows
that proper education may redeem
the negro race from q condition OF
'backwardness and unequal develop
mentn by doing with tho negro rs
civilization has done with the Indian,
viz, destroy the inferior and uncivil-
liable percentage and civilize the bet
ter element" The negro must rise
by degrees, going through each con-
dition OF progress already passed by
the white race
The size OF the old plantation. the
number OF slaves employed thereon,
and the profits arising therefrom are
most instructive topics discussed by
Mr.. Tompkins.
The book also contains colored
plates showing the different stages OF
the cotton plant. These, to Il South,
| ern man, would seem useless pictures
in book; but to one who never saw
cotton growing they are most valu,
able
Mr. Tompkins divides American
cotton into two classes: Q ''up,
land" (2) "sea island" distinguish.
ing them by the seed and the lint.
He shows that within the last twenty,
five years cotton seed has become one
of the most important articles of COM
merce in the United States. He
shows that the physical composition
Of ton Of upland seed is about As fol.
lows: Short line, IS pounds; hull.
925 pounds; oil (52 gall. $50 pounds
meal, 6lO pounds, A good oil mill
gets out OF ton Of seed about forty
gallons of oil. but the quality, as does
the quantity, varies according to the
differences of soils and seasons. The
| first mill was built at Natchez, Miss.
in 1884, but there were few mills
prior to the Civil War.
For centuries the olive tree has
been in high esteem on account Of its
useful products; but 1.-The cotton
| plant gives US more than the olive
tree ever gave to mankind" Ths
cotton bloom instead Of the OLIVE
branch should be the emblem o
peace.
Mr.. Tompkins has five tables show
ing the products and values obtained
from one ton OF cotton seed by us'
Of differently constructed machines
The net profit on a ton Of seed IL
from $1.3S to 1906. The history o
the oil mill and all the commercia
features of the cotton seed are fully
discussed. The figures illustrate
every mechanical feature of the OF
mill and every process OF making thu
oil. The chapter on Cotton Seet
Oil Refining" is important from (
literary, scientific and practical poin
Of view. The book as a whole is
delicious combination of mechanics
practical business methods. and liter