AGRICULTURAL BOTANY. 



233 



Many accidental varieties have also been introduced of late years into the Southern States, 

 originating in a promiscuous cultivation of various kinds, by which the pollen became inter- 

 mixed and the different qualities assimilated. Some new and excellent varieties have thus 

 been produced, which have been preserved and further improved by a careful and judicious 

 selection of seed in the field. These, together with some spurious kinds which have been palmed 

 off upon the planter from time to time, have been known by rather whimsical and fantastic 

 names, having little or no relation to their distinctive character. Many of them have had 

 their day, while others deservedly maintain the high estimation to which their superior quali- 

 ties entitle them. The above facts connected with the history and present condition of the 

 cotton-plant in the United States, are derived from the recent Report on the Geology of Mis- 

 sissippi, by Prof. B. L. C. Wailes. 



Nankin Cotton. — The color of pure Nankin cotton goods is the natural color of the 

 cotton. Its native place is China, but it has been cultivated in Georgia, and goods have been 

 made from it at some of the factories in Rhode Island. We have been informed that its culti- 

 vation has been abandoned, however, on account of its unprolific nature. 



Red Cotton. — In 1853 some cotton of a red color was received in Manchester, from Au- 

 beokuta, in Africa ; it was brought to that place from the interior of the country, where it 

 was said to be grown in great quantities and was very prolific. 



The accompanying engraving represents the appearance of the fibre of the ordinary cotton, 

 as seen under the microscope. It has the appearance of a flattened wire or ribbon, without 

 joints, each fibre being entire and perfect in itself, with pointed or rounded extremities. 



The Upland cotton is shorter in the staple than the Sea-Island, but there are some very fine 

 kinds of it. The mixing of the different staples, to produce a good yarn, requires great prac- 

 tice and skill. 



On the Length of the Cotton Fibre. 



An investigation has recently been undertaken by Professor Schaffer, of the United States 

 Patent Office, with a view of answering the following question: "Does the product of fibre 

 of an individual seed exhibit an approximate uniformity in its length before separation by 

 the gin ?" 



In a recent report on this subject, Professor S. says : — 



" Before making any measurement, I thought it worth while to ascertain how much was 

 already known upon the subject. After pretty thorough search, I could only find the following 

 passage in "Ure on the Cotton Manufacture of Great Britain :" • They (the filaments) vary in 

 length from half an inch to one inch and three-quarters.' This and other authors give nume- 

 rous measurements of the breadth of the fibre ; but, for some reason, the exact, or even ap- 

 proximate, length of staple of the different varieties of cotton, appears to have been considered 

 a matter of no importance. As the object in view was to obtain the length of the fibre in the 

 condition in which it is brought to the gin, the method adopted was to measure every filament 



