The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1902-11-19
HISTORY OF COTTON
Origin and the Development Of Its
Production i'll the South.


origin and development of the produc-
tion Of cotton in the South is taken
from the Movements and Fluctua-
tions" Of Latham, Alexander & Co.,
of New York, will prove interesting
to our readers:
1921. The cotton plant had been
found growing in wild state by the
first settlers Of the southwestern por-
tion of our country, but the year 162l
is generally regarded as the first year
Of cotton culture in The United States.
Seed, probably from the Levant or
the East Indies, was planted as an
experiment, and its plentiful coming
up was at that early day a subject OF
interest in America and England.
Its cultivation was for long time
limited to small patches for domestic
use. Among list Of articles grow
ing or to be had in the Virginia Col
ony in 1921 cotton wool is mentioned;
value, Sd per pound, fax Sd.
But cotton planting in Virginia
never reached large proportions. To-
bacco growing was found to be more
profitable. Labor was scarce and
dear, so that the cost Of handclean-
ing, or separating the fibre from the
seed by hand, before gin was in
vented, exceeded the market value OF
the cotton so cleaned. From Virginia
the culture extended northward to
Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania
and even New Jersey, down to the
time of the Revolutionary war.
1888. Cotton seed was brought into
Carolina by Peter Purry, who settled
colony Of Swiss near PurrysVille;
but, from previous mention made, 1t
is evident that some kind Of cotton
preceded his planting.
1874. About this time cotton was
planted in Georgia from seed sent to
the trustees from England. In de-
position taken in London in 1879 for
the use of the trustees Of the Georgia
grant it is stated that the climate of
Georgia is very healthy, and the eli
mate and soil very fit for raising silk,
wine and cotton, all of which produces
may be raised by white persons with
out the aid of Negroes"
1741. A sample of Georgia cotton
was taken to England.
1742. In Louisiana cotton culture
must have already become quite ex-
tensive, for we find that in this year a
planter Of that state, Mr.. Dubreuil,
invented machine for separating the
seed from the fibre; probably only an
adjustment Of rollers. 1t greatly
stimulated planting in that colony.
1747. During this year several
bags of Carolina cotton were exported
from Charleston.
1853. We find the first cotton pre-
MUM recorded. A liberal citizen OF
Delaware offers "5s4 for the most and
best cotton off an acre"
ITO. Shipments to Liverpool, ten
bales from Charleston, three bales
from New York, four bags from Vir-
ginia and three barrels full from North
Carolina. About this year southern
planters began turning their attention
to the cultivation Of cotton as staple
crop.
1775. The first mandatory fo1
cotton, flax and wool was established
in Philadelphia. Throughout the
Revolution this factory was supplied
with native cotton at two Shillings
per pound. The state Of the Colonies
during that period was very similar tc
that of the south during our late war:
that they were almost entirely depen'
dent on foreign manufacturers was
shown by the destitution of the people
and the armies. The ragged condition
Of the American soldiers and officers
is well-known. Even when Washing
toms army was partially clothed, II
was in English cloth brought tx
America by way Of Holland.
; 1884. About IA bales Of American
cotton were shipped to England, OF
which eight bales were seized in Liver
pool as improperly entered, on The
ground that so much cotton could moi
have been produced in the United
States, and this was more than 15C
years after the first importation intt
England Of cotton grown in this coun
try.
1887. The first regular cotton fac
tory in the United States was built il
this year at Beverly, Mass, fol
carding, rowing and spinning cottor
by machinery" The legislature made
grant Of $500 to assist the new
enterprise. In 1889, General Washing
ton visited this factory.
1871. The average value Of the cot
ton exported this year was 26 cents
per pound; the crop Of the United
States was about four thousand five
hundred OF present sized bales OF
which three-fourthS were grown ir
South Carolina and one-fourth In
Georgia. About one-tenth Of the
crop was exported.
1893. This is a memorable year in
the cotton trade, made so by ELI
Whitney'S invention Of the saW-gin.
He was then living in Georgia, had
no mechanical assistance and only the
rudest of tools. He even had to make
bis own wire by hand. Before this.
the old-fashioned roller gins were the
best machines for cleaning cotton
previous to them, the bowstring had
been used for beating up and cleaning,
while earlier still the only method
of detaching the fibre from the seed
was by the tedious process of picking
with the fingers, that being the even
ing task of many members Of plant
er'S household in the olden time.
Nhitney's gin was patented in 1874.
The word gin is an abbreyiation OF
engine.
1895. The second cotton mill in
in the United States erected in Rhode
Island. Georgia cotton of good quail
ity offered in New York at one shill-
ing sixpence per pound.
l,o