COLTIVAZIONE DFf. COTONE
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   reforming it. Of forty-four samples of cotton sent ready pieked from the different province» of the Kingdom of Italy, almost the half, or tvventy-one samples, were damaged in consequence of the bad mode of picking l).
   Of seventeen of these twenty-one samples of cotton, respecting which we endeavoured to asoer-tain the diminution of price owing to the bad mode of picking, we found that eight lost in value from niue to twenty per cent., three from twenty-four to thirty x>er cent.; five from thirty-two to thirty-eight per cent.-, and one as much as forty-five per cent.
   There are different machines for picking cot- Machine for tou, but they are not ali equally adapted for picking cotton every quali ty of cotton. The machines must be different, according to the difference in the fìbres of the cotton. The machine couimouly employed in the United States, and known by the name of « Saw-gin, » is not at ali available for the East India cottons, and no other machine, except that of Macarthy, is of use for the picking of the « Sea Island cotton. » Now, considering what advantages would be obtained by being able to point out to our Italian agriculturists the best machines for picking our cottons, we have caused a series of experiments to be instituted, and we are now having our cottons picked by the most celebrated machines. As soon as these experiments are completed, we shall make them the subject of a special report to you.
   This inquiry respecting the qualities of the Italian cotton, which has led to the result that many of our cottons niiglit immediately receive an increased value of from nine to forty-five per cent., simply by our giving greater care to ira-
   ') See Appendi* B.
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