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other times from right to left. The spiral motion is modified by the 

 form of the surface over which it passes. Were the moiitli of the pitcher 

 plastic, the spiral motion would modify its shape, bringing it into hav- 

 mony Avith that motion — the tendency of tlie water to iiiove in a spiral 

 direction, so far as it had force to overcome the resistance of the plastic 

 substance, would shape it in harmony with that tendency. 



The animal and vegetable kingdoms exhibit many examples of organic 

 bodies partaking of the spiral form ; many varieties of shells display 

 perfect tapering spirals, and generally they take the same direction, 

 viz, from right to left, viewing them with their apex turned from 

 lis. There are exceptions to this rule; some have been found with the 

 spiral thread winding from left to right. Many vines exhibit this ten- 

 dency, especially those of rank growth. It has been observed that per- 

 sons who have suffered from headaches or from fever, frequently lose 

 their hair. As a remedy shaving of the head has been resorted to with 

 good results. The hair grows faster, but it has been found to become 

 wavy with a tendency to twist or curl when very frequently shaved 

 during a term of years. The human hair differs from hairs on leaves 

 in its mode of growth in some particulars. It has individual roots, 

 and springs from under the epidermis. The haks, or cotton threads, 

 of the cotton-seed resemble, in some respects, the human hair. They 

 sj)ring from under the outer dark-brown skin or testa, and individually 

 exhibit root formation. When a section of the cotton-seed is examined 

 microscopically, it is found to consist of three principal parts, viz. the 

 outer coating or testa, under which is situated a lining membrane com- 

 posed of a series of double cells surrounding and inclosing the nucleus ; 

 from these cells the cotton fibers proceed. When a small portion of this 

 series is combined with a little gum-water and ground to a fine pulp, 

 the cells, viewed with a one-eighth object-glass, will be magnified to 

 about three-fourths of an inch in length. They are perfectly transparent, 

 and are seen to be banded near their centers. The cotton-thread or fiber 

 is supposed to be a flat ribbon, although, when examining several sections 

 of the roots of the fibers, I was convinced that the fiber is a flat, hol- 

 low tube resembling a ribbon. The twisting tendency of the cotton fiber 

 is well known, its flat shape favoring that tendency. If the fibers, 

 when growing or passing from their cells, obey the law which regulates 

 the motion of liquids, as pointed out, we can account in a measure for 

 their twisting and as the spiral forms of water issuing from an orifice are 

 regulated by the pressure of water and shape of orifice, so may the ten- 

 dency of the cottou fiber to twist depend on the pressure of the circulat- 

 ing fluids. The experiments of Hales and Burcks show that the jiressure 

 of the ascending vine-sap is sometimes so great that it will raise a column 

 of mercury 38 inches. The pressure of the ascending sap of the cotton- 

 plant has not yet been examined. The ranker the growth, theoretically, 

 the greater will be the tendency of the fiber to twist. 



The Department is informed by Mr. Isaac M. Brower, United States 

 consul at the Fiji Islands, that sea-island cotton, which is an annual 

 plant in the United States, becomes perennial in those Islands, and 

 that its growth is much more vigorous there than here, and that for 

 a term of years there is a continuous crop from the same planting. 

 He has i)lucked cotton from a plant five years old, but the fiber is de- 

 fective in one particular, and is objected to by the Liverpool merchants. 

 They informed him that they feared that Fiji cotton is subject to 

 some form of disease which caused it to knot, a fault which may be 

 seen with the naked eye. Mr. Brower placed a specimen in my hands 



