2 \YILD AND CULTIVATED COTTONS 



tropics (or, rather, within a belt of the earth's surface that stretches 

 round the globe, between the extremes of 45 north and 30 south 

 latitude) and at several distinct and independent centres. For 

 example, we have abundant evidence that a knowledge of the plant 

 and its industrial possibilities is quite as ancient in the New as 

 in the Old World. This idea of independent centres obviously 

 involves the utilisation of indigenous and presumably distinct 

 plants, and hence the undesirability of accepting the dictum that 

 the existing cultivated races are but states of one species. But if 

 evolved from several centres and several species, certain questions 

 naturally are forced into prominence : 

 Important 1. What were the centres and species of first cultivation ? 



2. Do any of these early cultivated plants exist as wild species 

 to-day ? 



3. By whom were they first cultivated ? 



4. With what climatic and soil conditions are they accordingly 

 specially associated ? 



5. What are the necessities and conditions that have caused 

 their peculiar modifications ? 



6. Are the species and varieties of the cottons of commerce modified 

 through the selection and perpetuation of variations and sports, due 

 to an inherent tendency to change under altered environment ? 



7. If they are simply sports, can it be shown that for each 

 original centre there exists a well-defined assemblage of its own ? 



8. To what extent, if any, have they been modified by being 

 crossed (hybridised) the one with the other ? 



9. Can it be shown that the special features of merit in any 

 particular staple are traceable to this or that specific ancestor or 

 ancestors in the supposed hybrid stock ? 



These and other such questions can easily be framed. I do 

 not categorically answer any of them. In fact, the possibility of 

 their being definitely answered has been very nearly effaced by the 

 lapse of ages. I have engaged, however, in an analytical study of 

 every aspect of the cotton problem that seemed to me calculated 

 to throw light on these and such-like subjects of inquiry. 



Hap- Uniformity in Names. To the practical cotton-grower I would 



urge that the writings of botanists should not be regarded as neces- 

 sarily devoid of practical value. The selection and improvement 

 of stock can never be successfully accomplished when based on 

 haphazard opinions and observations. Ignorant experiment is the 



