From John Jay to George Washington, 1 March 1794
To George Washington
New York 1 March 1794
Dear Sir
when Mr Drayton of Charleston was here last Summer he told that the true nankeen cotton was in So Carolina. It appeared to me to be a valuable acquisition, and I suggested to him the Expediency of planting it always at so great a Distance from other cotton, as to avoid the Influence which plants of the same kind, tho’ of different Species have on each other, when very contiguous. Whether that is the case with cotton, I am uninformed; having very little knowledge of it as a Plant, or of its Cultivation—
I have just recd. from Mr. Drayton some of the seed mixed with the cotton.1 I herewith send you half of it— Perhaps you have it already— perhaps not— I think it worth having to those whose Estates are in a Climate suited to its Growth. I suppose that to be the Case with Mount Vernon; where you doubtless have a Gardener who will punctually observe such Instructions respecting it—with perfect Respect Esteem & attachmt2 I am Dear Sir your obliged & obt. Servt
John Jay
The President of the U.S.—
ALS, DLC: Washington (EJ: 10608).
1. See John Drayton to JJ, 29 Jan. 1794, above.
2. JJ here resumed friendly correspondence with GW after his transmission through RK of JJ’s draft letter of protest about GW’s failure to prevent a libel suit initiated by Genet against him and RK. See JJ to RK, 25 Feb. 1794; the editorial note “John Jay and the Genet Affair,” both above, and , 15: 233–34. For GW’s reply to JJ of 5 Mar., see , 15: 328–29.