The picking the cotton had been looked upon at first as
great fun, although it had proved hard work before it was finished.
Its weight had rather exceeded Mr. Hardy's anticipation. The
process of cleaning the cotton from the pods and seeds had proved a
long and troublesome operation, and had taken an immense time.
Judging by the progress that they at first made with it, they
really began to despair of ever finishing it, but with practice
they became more adroit. Still it was found to be too great a labor
during the heat of the day, although carried on within doors. It
had been a dirty work too; the light particles of fluff had got
everywhere, and at the end of a couple of hours' work the party had
looked like a family of bakers. Indeed, before more than a quarter
of the quantity raised was cleaned they were heartily sick of the
job, and the remainder was sold in the pod to an Englishman who had
brought out machinery, and was attempting to raise cotton near
Buenos Ayres. Although the profits had been considerable, it was
unanimously determined that the experiment should not be repeated,
at any rate for the present.
Mr. Hardy had not at first carried out his idea of planting a
couple of acres with tobacco and sugar-cane, the ground having been
required for other purposes.
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