108 COTTON 



the darling of Apollo. Wet, cloudy, and rainy 

 days, except in so far as they are necessary to supply 

 the comparatively small amount of moisture re- 

 quired, have no place in its calendar, and are 

 unfavorable to vigorous, abundant growth and 

 to the yield of seed and lint. 



The blossom itself tells us this. In the morning 

 of a bright, clear, warm day, it opens to its full 

 extent to drink in the sun, but as soon as the damp 

 evening approaches, it closes as if it would keep 

 cold and dew wholly without. In every way the 

 plant shows its nature and its longing for warmth 

 and sunshine. Its green leaves even appear to 

 turn to the east in the morning, waiting for the 

 sun to rise, and seem, in a measure, to follow it in 

 its course until it sets in the west; then they droop 

 as if the day's work were finished and await the 

 coming of the sun again. 



Climate has much to do with cotton. A native 

 of tropical lands, it does its best in temperate cli- 

 mates, and seems unable to venture beyond the 

 limits of its adopted home. No other staple field 

 crop in our country is so circumscribed. Other 

 than grass, corn (our leading crop by acreage and 

 production) has gone to every part but our western- 

 most limits : wheat, oats, rye, though all somewhat 

 choice of soil, yet fear neither heat nor cold; but 

 cotton, wedded to the Southern sunshine, pines 

 away and, Rachel-like, will not be comforted, when 

 taken from its Dixie home. 



