202 



ELEMENTS OF AGRICULTURE 



fuzz and are green in color. They are flattened somewhat 

 and oblong in shape, and about the size of a white navy 

 bean. Because of the fuzz or lint left on the seed, they 

 are somewhat bulky, weighing 33 pounds to the measured 

 bushel. 



The lint which sur- 

 rounds the seed is ex- 

 ceedingly fine in texture, 

 and varies in length from 

 seven-eighths of an inch 

 in upland cotton to two 

 and one-half inches in 

 sea-island cotton. Some 

 varieties of upland cot- 

 ton have been selected 

 for long fiber. When the 

 lint produced averages 

 over one and one-fourth 

 inches in length of fiber, 

 it is called "long staple." 

 The longer fibers are 

 much more valuable 

 than the shorter ones, 

 and "long staple" sells for a higher price in the market. 

 Other desirable qualities of the lint in addition to length 

 are (1) fineness, (2) strength, (3) uniformity of color. 



192. Breeding and Selecting Cotton. From the fore- 

 going paragraphs, it will be noted that the cotton plant 

 may be greatly changed and improved by careful selec- 

 tion and breeding. Selection is comparatively a simple 

 matter, but, because of cross-fertilization, which probably 



Fio. 103. An early, rapid fruiting, pro- 

 ductive type of cotton plant, with low fruit 

 limbs, short joints and continuous growing 

 long fruit limbs. Leaves removed. (After 

 Bennett.) 



