SECTION IV: G. BRASILIENSE 309 



firmly to each other, that they only separate when pressed rather 

 strongly between the fingers, and the fibre can be stripped without 

 their coming apart and without leaving any lint on the kidney mass of 

 seeds. It is a tall bush reaching from five to fifteen feet in height. 

 The bolls are large, and the cotton clings together and never protrudes 

 from the capsules like herbaceous cotton. This would appear to be 

 the form designated G. arborescens by Burlamaqui. 



The next grade is the quebradinho, in which the seeds separate Tree 

 readily from each other (? G.purpurascens, p. 255). In the province of c 

 Maranhao the crioulo and quebradinho are collectively described as 

 the tree cottons. They are hardy, and if properly cared for last for 

 several years, though they do not in Brazil yield crops worthy the 

 name for more than two years, or three at most. 



Many writers, however, affirm that they may last for many more 

 years up to 20, though the usual opinion is less than half that time, pj-un^g 

 Gabriel Scares de Souza, who lived in Brazil in 1570-85, speaks cotton. 

 of the tree cottons as growing for 7 to 8 years or more, provided 

 the old wood be systematically broken off. The yield is often 

 stated to be one quarter floss to three quarters seed. According 

 to Capt. Page, a single plant yields four pounds of cotton in the 



The third kind of cotton discussed by Branner as found in 

 Brazil is known by various names such as the herbaceo, riqueza, 

 algodao do governo, verdao, caroco, rasteiro, Malta, &c. It does not 

 grow as tall as either the crioulo or quebradinho, though some planters Dwarf 

 assert that it may do so. One form is specially spoken of as dwarf cotton - 

 cotton (rasteiro). While the yield is good its nearness to the 

 ground is regarded as a serious objection to it, since to keep the 

 cotton clean necessitates repeated clearing of the ground of weeds. 

 The seeds are separate and the floss hangs from the open bolls, 

 but after the lint has been removed the seed remains with a green or 

 brown fuzz. It produces from five to six times as much fibre as the 

 other forms, and the plant is an annual, but the fibre is regarded as Herba- 

 inferior in quality. It is hardly to be wondered at, therefore, that in ^^ 

 practical planting the arboreous forms have been abandoned and the arboreous, 

 herbaceous substituted. The opinion prevails in Brazil that the 

 herbaceous cotton was introduced from the United States. 



The only other cotton mentioned by Branner as met with in 

 Brazil is the algodoim, algodoi, algodao pardo, algodao macaco, &c. 

 This yields a yellow or brown cotton, and is not grown to any 



