SECTION II: TREE COTTON OF INDIA 87 



And it need only be added that the classic records of a ' tree-cotton ' 

 carry us many centuries beyond the first mention of a herbaceous field 

 crop ; and what is more curious still, most of the early writers on 

 Indian cottons such as Eheede, Terry, Bumphius &c., describe and 

 figure ' tree-cottons ' (from admitted personal knowledge), but say 

 absolutely nothing about the improved herbaceous field cottons. 



Thus, while little is known for certain of the origin of Gossypium 

 arboreum there seems no doubt whatever that it played an important 

 rdle in the production of some of the best known cultivated cottons 

 of the Old World. It is accordingly desirable (as already explained) 

 to assume the existence of a wild species, such as that briefly 

 indicated by the older authors. And in part support of that view 

 it may be added that, when neglected, the cultivated forms become 

 perennials and rapidly assume the leading characteristics of the 

 plant briefly defined above, irrespective, apparently, of environment. 



CULTIVATION. 



Varieties and Races. From what has been said already it may 

 have been inferred that I regard G. arboreum. Linn., as embracing 

 several fairly distinct forms, some of which at least have been 

 assigned independent specific positions by certain authors. This Specific 

 fact naturally extends the habitat of the species and enlarges its * 1 . mita ~ 

 specific characteristics, but any ambiguity that might thereby be 

 occasioned is at once removed when the synonymy and area of 

 distribution of each is reviewed separately. G. arbweum proper has, 

 therefore, to be accepted as the typical condition of an extensive 

 assemblage of forms, races or hybrids, which all originated in the 

 Old World. The typical condition seems more prevalent in India 

 than elsewhere ; G. sanguinewm, Hassk. is possibly of African origin. 

 Indeed one or other of the forms of this truly protean plant occurs 

 here and there from Africa and Egypt, east and south throughout the 

 whole of Asia. 



Racial Tendencies. It will be seen, from the qualifications that 

 have now to be made, in order to embrace the very numerous series 

 of cultivated plants referable to this species, that while a natural 

 assemblage of characteristics is preserved, hardly any one feature is 

 constant. Thus for example the flowers may be yellow, the leaves Colour of 

 may be very considerably hairy, and the velvet of the seeds may be flowers - 

 grey or brown : that is to say, the seeds have lost their green colour, 

 which is perhaps their more typical condition. The arboreous form 



