12 THE COTTON PLANT. 



II. 



THE COTTON PLANT. 1 



Bv NINA MOORE. 



COTTON, like wheat, is older than history. In 

 the time of Herodotus, and probably long before, 

 the people of India wove the fibre of their native 

 species, Gossypium arboreum, into garments ; for 

 centuries they cultivated around the Hindoo tem- 

 ples Gossypium religiosum, reserving its product 

 for the tripartite thread, which, as a symbol of 

 the Brahmin Trinity, was used in the sacerdotal 

 robes of the priests. 



India muslins are famed for their beauty. Tav- 

 ernier (1662) says that some of the muslins or 



1 This classification of the species of Gossypium, founded on that of 

 Linnaeus, is given by Parlatore in his " Le Specie dei Cotoni." 

 Gossypium Arboreum ; native of India. 

 " Herbaceum. 

 " Religiosum. 



Barbadense : sea island, long-stapled cotton ; native of 



the Bahama Islands. 

 " Hirsutum : Georgia, upland, short-stapled cotton ; native 



of Mexico. 



" Sandvichensis ; native of the Sandwich Islands. 

 " Taitensis ; native of Tahiti. 



