I gave the negroes a larger ration of meat, meal, and potatoes than had been previously issued.  As soon as possible, I procured a quantity of molasses, coffee, and tobacco.  These articles had not been seen on the plantation for many months, and were most gladly received.  As there was no market in that vicinity where surplus provisions could be sold, I had no fear that the negroes would resort to stealing, especially as their daily supply was amply sufficient for their support.  It was the complaint of many overseers and owners that the negroes would steal provisions on frequent occasions.  If they committed any thefts during my time of management, they were made so carefully that I never detected them.  It is proper to say that I followed the old custom of locking the store-houses at all times.

Very soon after commencing labor I found that our working force must be increased.  Accordingly, I employed some of the negroes who were escaping from the interior of the State and making their way to Natchez.  As there were but few mules on the plantation, I was particularly careful to employ those negroes who were riding, rather than walking, from slavery.  If I could not induce these mounted travelers to stop with us, I generally persuaded them to sell their saddle animals.  Thus, hiring negroes and buying mules, I gradually put the plantation in a presentable condition.  While the cotton was being picked the blacksmith was repairing the plows, the harness-maker was fitting up the harnesses for the mules, and every thing was progressing satisfactorily.  The gin-house was cleaned and made ready for the last work of preparing cotton for the market.  Mr. Colburn arrived from the North after I had been a planter of only ten days’ standing.  He was enthusiastic at the prospect, and manifested an energy that was the envy of his neighbors.

It required about three weeks to pick our cotton.  Before it was all gathered we commenced “ginning” the quantity on hand, in order to make as little delay as possible in shipping our “crop” to market.

The process of ginning cotton is pretty to look upon, though not agreeable to engage in.  The seed-cotton (as the article is called when it comes from the field) is fed in a sort of hopper, where it is brought in contact with a series of small and very sharp saws.  From sixty to a hundred of these saws are set on a shaft, about half an inch apart.  The teeth of these saws tear the fiber from the seed, but do not catch the seed itself.  A brush which revolves against the saws removes the fiber from them at every revolution.  The position of the gin is generally at the end of a large room, and into this room the detached fiber is thrown from the revolving brush.