SURFACE FIBEKS 



227 





Fig. 216. — Sea Island Cotton (Gofisypiurn harbadense. Mallow Family, 

 Malvaceae). Flowering top, I. (Schumann.) — -Similar to upland cotton 

 but with seed black. Native home, West Indies. 



comparatively small and the cultivation is mostly confined 

 to islands or regions near the coast. 



The fibers found on the seeds of each consist of simple, 

 flattened and twisted hairs developed as outgrowths from 

 the "hull" or seed coat. In the wild state these hairs catch 

 the wind like thistle-down and so are of service to the plant 

 as means of spreading abroad its seeds. Cotton raisers, 

 however, select varieties which hold their seeds firmly in the 

 pod till they can be picked out by hand. Through .selection 

 also the best varieties have lost the yellowish or hvSi color 

 of their seed hairs, and have become nearly or quite white. 

 At the same time there has been developed in cultivation the 

 remarkable twist before mentioned. This twist is of the 



