COTTON SPECIES 



277 



making most crosses between the American and Asiatic 

 groups, Watt maintains that such crosses are possible. 



250. American upland cotton. This constitutes all of 

 the cotton crop of the United States except the small 

 amount of Sea Island cotton grown near the South Atlantic 

 and Gulf coasts. It forms the largest single item of ex- 

 port, and brings into the United States more money than 

 any other crop or single line of manufacture. 



American upland cotton may be divided into two prin- 

 cipal classes: (1) short-staple varieties and (2) long-staple 

 varieties. The chief distinction between these is in the 

 length of lint, that of 

 short-staple being usu- 

 ally f to 1|- inches, 

 while long-staple, or 

 " staple cotton," usu- 

 ally has a length of 

 1J to If inches. 



Between these two 

 groups, which are 

 somewhat sharply dis- 

 tinguished from each 

 other, lies an inter- 

 mediate class. The 

 cottons of this class are called commercially " Benders" 

 or " Rivers." These names arise from the fact that this 

 intermediate kind is grown chiefly on moist bottom land. 

 Such soil has a tendency to lengthen the staple even of a 

 short-staple variety. Moreover, there are varieties hav- 

 ing intermediate lengths of lint, even when grown on up- 

 land. 



FIG. 130. VARIOUS SHAPES OF COTTON 

 BOLLS. 



On left, Sea Island ; in center, a typical 

 long-staple ; and on right, a typical short- 

 staple of the big-boll class. 



