170 CHAPTER XI 



1. The best cotton of all is the true Sea Island, grown on 

 the islands (hence the name) off Charleston, South Carolina, 

 and also in the West Indies. The total quantity of these crops 

 is very small, but their value is very high on account of their 

 marvellous spinning qualities. The use of the fine yarns made 

 from this cotton is confined to the very highest grades of fabrics 

 and the finest sewing cottons. 



2. Next to these come certain grades of Sea Island grown 

 in Georgia and Florida, which are of excellent quality, though 

 not so superfine as the real " Islands." In this class must be 

 included the best Egyptian grades, which are second only to 

 the finest Sea Islands in quality and spinning capabilities. They 

 are also extraordinarily strong, which has given them certain 

 special uses of their own where strength and fineness are 

 essential. 



3. In the next grade may be placed the ordinary varieties 

 of Egyptian cotton and the best varieties of American long 

 staple Upland cotton, which for many purposes have proved 

 themselves as good as ordinary Brown Egyptian. Peruvian, 

 as well as some of the best African cottons, comes very close to 

 this class. 



4. The great bulk of the world's cotton supply, however, 

 consists of the ordinary American Upland crop. Of about the 

 same quality is the cotton from Brazil, West Africa, Eussia, 

 Asia Minor and some Indian cotton. Some Chinese cotton may 

 also be included in this grade. 



5. The greater part of the Indian crop is in a grade by 

 itself, of a very short, staple and of inferior quality. It is little 

 used in Lancashire, but is largely employed in the local mills 

 in India, Japan and also in most of the Continental spinning 

 countries. Similar to the Indian crop in quality are certain of 

 the native varieties of Russian cotton. Finally, the great 

 unknown of the cotton trade — the Chinese crop — is probably on 

 the whole of Indian quality. 



Description and Varieties. — Cotton belongs to the Mal- 

 vaceae and to the genus Gossypium. The classification of the 

 cottons into species has led to a great deal of controversy. How- 

 ever, the varieties with which South Africa is at present con- 

 cerned are the Upland varieties (G. liirsutum) and the Egyp- 

 tian and Sea Island types (G. harhadense). Broadly, the chief 

 differences between these two species is that harhadense is 

 taller, of more slender growth, with small pointed bolls, and 



