COTTON FIBRE 41 



workers, and numerous methods of distinguishing it from other 

 fibres established. (Cf. Wiesner, I.e., pp. 249-52.) One of the simplest Test for 

 is, perhaps, that given by Dr. Herzog namely, by steeping the 

 fabric of mixed cotton and linen in a lukewarm alcoholic solution 

 of cyanine for a few minutes, then rinsing with water and treating 

 with dilute sulphuric acid. The acid bleaches the colour from the 

 cotton, but leaves the linen unaffected, and the blue of the linen 

 may, as an additional test, be afterwards intensified with ammonia. 



CLASSIFICATION OF THE COTTON FLOSSES (cf. pp. 7, 27, 56, 62). 

 In the next chapter particulars will be found regarding the appear- 

 ance of the individual flosses of the various wild species of Gossypium 

 (that is to say, the species not found under cultivation). The follow- 

 ing popular classification of these may be here given : 



(a) Forms with both a fuzz and a floss, but the latter too poor Fuzz and 

 and scanty to be worth collecting; the plants otherwise, in many 

 particulars, closely resemble cultivated forms. These are accord- 

 ingly open to the suspicion of not being truly wild plants of being, 



in fact, survivals of a former cultivation. But in support of their 

 acceptance as wild species, mention may be made of the fact that 

 the fuzz (if not the floss also) is usually rust-coloured. The best 

 examples of this group are : G. obtusifoUum (p. 139) and G. 

 punctatum (p. 168). 



(b) Undoubted wild species that possess both a fuzz and floss, 

 the former always (if not the latter as well) rust-coloured, but 

 so short as to be of next to no industrial value : G. mustelinum 

 (p. 167), G. Palmerii (p. 204), and G. Schottii (p. 206). 



(c) Wild species with a coating of rust-coloured wool that can Bust 

 hardly be described as more than a fuzz. This is certainly not refer- fuzz- 

 able to two layers, and can only be removed by being torn from the 

 seed : G. Sturtii (p. 63), G. Davidsonii (p. 65), G. Harknessii 

 (p. 73), G. Darwinii (p. 68), G. tomentosum (p. 69), G. drynarioides 

 (p. 71), and G. Stocksii (p. 73). F1 ss 



tilonc 

 (d) Wild species devoid of any fuzz, but with a readily separable present. 



floss of a rust-colour : G. taitense (p. 248) and G. KirJcii (p. 316). 



Important Deductions. There are other species, often met with 

 in admittedly acclimatised conditions, and which, under these circum- 

 stances, very frequently assume a rust-coloured fuzz, or rust-coloured 

 floss, such as G. Nanking, G. hirsutum, var. religiosa, G. purpurascens, 



G. brasiliense, &c. These have all at some time or other been called Sacred 



cottons* 

 the sacred cottons (G. religiosum), the nankeen cottons, or simply 



