The Story of Sea Island Cotton

The cultivation, harvesting and sale of sea island cotton was one of the most important economic forces in the southeastern United States from 1790 to just before the Civil War and, to a lesser extent, in the early twentieth century.

This impressively researched book traces the journey of the Gossypium barbadense seed from the Andes to the Caribbean and thence to suitable growing conditions found on the barrier islands from North Carolina to Florida. The story of sea island cotton encompasses the planting, cultivation, harvesting, ginning and market preparation of this highly profitable plant, along with the reasons for its demise as an important agricultural and economic force in the region.