COTTON FIBER SCIENCE — PALMER 485 



ship. Researchers in Europe had been able at best to trace only a low 

 degree of positive correlation, and not infrequently their results in- 

 dicated actually a negative correlation. These disturbing results, so 

 obviously contrary to all reasonable assumptions, were apparently 

 caused by the use of data accumulated from the breaking of single 

 fibers individually without regard to their cross-sectional size. Webb 

 and Richardson accomplished their significant breaktlirough by using 

 data on the aggregated strength of fibers in a bundle, broken on the 

 Chandler Strength-Tester — a method originated in his own labora- 

 tory. Thus a basis was laid for the development of a large number of 

 equations for predicting yarn quality from an analysis of the raw 

 material. 



Such was the beginning. As time went on, the appeal of the tire 

 makers for a "service" was taken up and remforced by the breedeis. 

 Their ideas were crystallized in 1940 in a letter from the founder jmd 

 president of the National Cotton Council, the late Oscar Johnston, to 

 the Secretary of Agriculture in which he said : 



At present there are a few cotton breeders and growers who have done some- 

 thing about improving fiber and spinning qualities. Under the stimulus of the 

 work done by Dr. R. W. Webb, . . . these breeders have translated what was 

 originally a few theories into an action program. When Dr. Webb developed 

 methods for their measurement he laid the foundation for actually improving the 

 quality of American cotton. 



. . . Cotton breeders are now selecting and breeding the strains of cotton that 

 have unusual strength, very desirable liber fineness, and some of the new strains 

 are more uniform than others previously produced in the United States. When 

 thes'e cottons are spun into threads, cords and fabrics they have made outstand- 

 ing records in the trade for which they were produced, notably the tire trade. 

 Enough of this fiber testing and spinning has been done to prove the soundness 

 of Dr. Webb's original assumptions. 



No one acquainted with this worli refutes the statement that it is at this time 

 the most hopeful endeavor in the whole field of cotton improvement. It holds 

 more potentialities for actually improving American cotton than anything else 

 that has been done or is being done. 



D. Howard Doane, founder of the Doane Agricultural Service, 

 wrote Webb in 1940 in these words : 



I cannot tell you how many people of prominence are saying that this work 

 which you so modestly started a few years ago constitutes the most promising 

 picture in the whole field of cotton advancement. 



By special authorization from Congress, the breeders and the manu- 

 facturers got the service they wanted, at least within the limits that 

 research up to that time would justify. On August 27, 1941, the De- 

 partment of Agriculture annoimced in the Federal Register a schedule 

 of fees for w^liich, subject to the limitations of its capacity, it w'ould 

 test cottons for length, strength, and fuieness in its fiber laboratories, 

 of which by that time there were four, located respectively at Wash- 



