Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 2, 1802).djvu/95

Rh space of ground were allotted, for the grazing of their cows, during certain seasons of the year.

With respect to the most proper method of building cottages, and adapting them to different situations, for more wealthy families, we again recommend Mr. 's "Sketches in Architecture" (vol. i. p. 100);—and, for erecting the more humble habitations of the indigent and industrious, we believe Mr. 's "Essay on Cottage Architecture" (large 4to. 1l. 11s. 6d.) will be found an useful guide.  COTTON, a soft downy substance; the production of the gossypium, L. or cotton-tree, a genus of plants comprising twelve species, all of which are natives of warm climates, though four only are cultivated in fields to a very considerable extent. This plant is propagated by seeds, and when reared in Britain, requires to be kept in a hot-house, where it will produce both seeds and its peculiar down.

The cotton used in the manufactures of Britain, is chiefly obtained from the West Indian plantations. It is, in general, of a pale red, but sometimes so short as to be unfit for spinning. None of the latter sort is exported to Europe, though it might be usefully employed with other materials in the making of hats: the small quantities collected of it, are employed for the stuffing of mattresses and pillows.

The first operation which the imported cotton undergoes, after being picked, is that of carding. This was formerly performed by the hand, with a single pair of cards, upon the knee; but, having been found a very tedious process, other methods were soon devised, for affording a quicker and more adequate supply. The earliest improvement for this purpose was made by Mr., a weaver, in the vicinity of Blackburne, Lancashire: it consisted in applying two or three cards to the same board, and fixing them to a stool, or stock, whence they received the name of stock-cards.—With these, one woman could perform twice, or three times, the former quantity of work. A still more expeditious method of carding, by means of cylindrical cards worked by the aid of machinery, was afterwards invented, and which is, at present, most generally adopted. From the contradictory accounts current, respecting the original inventor, we cannot ascertain, with precision, to whom the merit of it is justly due.

The next, and most important, improvements in this extensive branch of our manufactures, were made by Mr., a native of Lancashire (who has since received the honour of knighthood), and subsequently of Cromford, in the county of Derby. He first introduced his new method of spinning cotton, in 1768, for which he obtained the King's patent in 1769; and another in 1775, for engines so constructed as to prepare the materials for spinning. The result of Mr. 's various inventions is a combination of machinery, by which cotton is carded, roved, and spun, with the utmost degree of exactness and equality.

Other machines have been contrived, and a variety of improvements made, at different times, by various mechanics and manufacturers, two of which, by the same artisan, merit particular  tice.