COTTON 369 



remarkable results. The waste in each case is less and 

 the strength much greater. It is unfortunate that the 

 bulk of the cotton grown from these four strains was 

 sold off before the results of our experimental tests were 

 known. Thus there has been no opportunity of qualify- 

 ing or confirming the tests on a large scale, but I may 

 say that I have had a second test made with small samples 

 in another mill, and again all three samples were stronger 

 than Good Nubari; and again sample C } in which uni- 

 formity was the most noticeable characteristic, came 

 out the strongest of the lot. 



In conclusion I make two suggestions. 



In the first place, I suggest that arrangements ought 

 to made either at the Imperial Institute or in Manchester, 

 perhaps preferably in Manchester, so that small quantities 

 of cotton can be practically tested under conditions 

 resembling those of an ordinary mill. In experienced 

 hands a trustworthy test can be made with a pound weight 

 of cotton or even less. If some such practical testing 

 were regularly available it would greatly assist the 

 scientific breeders and laboratory workers in cotton- 

 growing countries, because they would not only be able 

 to send small samples to be submitted to the test, but 

 they would also be enabled to 'bring their laboratory 

 experiments on single bolls and single fibres into closer 

 relation with mill practice than is now possible. 



Secondly, I commend to all who are practically engaged 

 in cotton breeding or cotton growing that purity should 

 be their principal objective. Hitherto the whole character 

 of the plant has been a chance entanglement of qualities, 

 and improvement a nearly insoluble problem. When 

 pure strains become generally available the processes of 

 improvement in quality or in quantity, or of gradual 

 modification in any desired direction, will become possible, 

 and growers and spinners will both be benefited. 



