COTTON FIBRE 31 



to say, they are not present to the same extent in one cell as Irregular 

 compared with another, nor in one part of the same cell as com- ^Jnj op " 

 pared with another. There may be said to be many degrees and 

 -directions of irregularity, but three are specially noticeable : 



In one instance the cellulose may be observed to have formed Under- 

 but a thin lining to the cell-cavity ; hence in drying such cells would npe * 

 naturally collapse and form almost transparent, flat, structureless 

 ribbons. 



In another the cellulose deposits may have been carried to such Over-ripe, 

 an extent as to have almost completely filled up the cell. There 

 being next to no central cavity remaining, the cells could not 

 possibly collapse. Moreover, thinner portions not having been 

 retained, here and there, irregular shrinkage and spiral twisting 

 could not take place. Hence cells of this kind might very appropri- 

 ately, therefore, be described as rod-like structures. 



In a third the cell-walls may be seen to have been formed Ripe, 

 intermittently, as it were ; in other words, they are not throughout of 

 one thickness. The cell-cavity is in consequence not uniformly 

 tapered from base to apex. And this is the normal condition of all 

 commercially mature cells, and in drying, as already explained, they 

 become twisted. 



These, then, are some of the manifestations of irregular growth Unripe, 

 that pervade all samples of cotton. In every parcel there are young 

 or imperfectly formed cells ; over-ripe cells, and mature or perfectly cells, 

 formed cells. The under and over-ripe cottons are of little industrial 

 value, and this explains why cotton picked too early fetches a low 

 price in the market, and why over-ripe or late crops are often 

 similarly of low grade. 



Superiority in production would be the extent to which want of 

 uniformity had been eradicated or controlled. 



This subject is so vital to the cotton industries that an apology Want of 

 need hardly be made for enlarging upon or even repeating these 

 observations. Dr. Bowman, it will be seen by reference to his 

 admirable work on the 'Structure of the Cotton Fibre,' devoted 

 much careful study to the want of uniformity both in the com- 

 parative length of the staple and the degree of development found 

 on one and the same seed. Although the methods and materials of 

 research have advanced very greatly since his time, the practical 

 observations he made have hardly in any direction been found 

 wanting or depreciated in interest. It will not be out of place, 



