GOSPORT, a town of Hampshire, 79 miles from
London, in the parish of Alverstock. It has a ferry
over the mouth of the harbour to Portsmouth, and is
a large town and of great trade, especially in time of
war. Travellers choose to lodge here, where every
thing is cheaper and more commodious for them than
at Portsmouth. The mouth of the harbour, which is
not so broad here as the Thames at Westminster, is
secured on this side by four forts, and a platform of
above 20 cannon level with the water. Here is a
noble hospital built for the cure of the sick and wound-
ed sailors in the service of the navy; besides a free
school.
GOSSAMER is the name of a fine filmy substance,
like cobwebs, which is seen to float in the air, in clear
days in autumn, and is more observable in stubble-
fields, and upon furze and other low bushes. This is
probably formed by the flying spider, which, in tra-
versing the air for food, shoots out these threads from
its anus, which are borne down by the dew, &c.
GOSSYPium, or COTTON, a genus of plants be-
longing to the monadelphia class, and in the natural
method ranking under the 37th order, Columniferæ.
See BOTANY Index.
The American islands produce cotton shrubs of va-
rious sizes, which rise and grow up without any cul-
ture; especially in low and marshy grounds. Their
produce is of a pale red; some paler than others; but
so short that it cannot be spun. None of this is brought
to Europe, though it might be usefully employed in
making of hats. The little that is picked up, serves
to make mattresses and pillows.
The cotton-shrub that supplies our manufactures, re-
quires a dry and stony soil, and thrives best in grounds
that have already been tilled. Not but that the plant
appears more flourishing in fresh lands than in those
which are exhausted; but while it produces more
wood, it bears less fruit.
A western exposure is fittest for it. The culture of
it begins in March and April, and continues during the
first spring-rains. Holes are made at seven or eight
feet distance from each other, and a few seeds thrown
in. When they are grown to the height of five or six
inches, all the stems are pulled up, except two or three
of the strongest. These are cropped twice before the
end of August. This precaution is the more necessary,
as the wood bears no fruit till after the second prun-
ing; and, if the shrub was suffered to grow more than
four feet high, the crop would not be the greater, nor
the fruit so easily gathered. The same method is pur-
sued for three years; for so long the shrub may con-
tinue, if it cannot conveniently be renewed oftener with
the prospect of an advantage that will compensate the
trouble.
This useful plant will not thrive if great attention is
not paid to pluck up the weeds that grow about it. Fre-
quent rains will promote its growth; but they must
not be incessant. Dry weather is particularly necessary
in the months of March and April, which is the time
of gathering the cotton, to prevent it from being dis-
coloured and spotted.
When it is all gathered in, the seeds must be picked
out from the wool with which they are naturally mixed.
This is done by means of a cotton-mill; which is
an engine composed of two rods of hard wood, about
18 feet long, 18 lines in circumference, and fluted
two lines deep. They are confined at both ends, so as
to leave no more distance between them than is neces-
sary for the feed to slip through. At one end is a
kind of little millstone, which, being put in motion
with the foot, turns the rods in contrary directions.
They separate the cotton, and throw out the feed con-
tained in it.