COTTON. 35 



years. It is sometimes called likewise Barbadense, or 

 Barbadoes cotton Barbadoes having been the first 

 of the West-India islands into which it was trans- 

 planted from the East. This and the preceding 

 species are both cultivated in the West Indies. 



The Gossypium vitifolium, or the vine-leaved 

 cotton plant, differs from the Indian, just described, 

 in the form of its leaves, which resemble those of 

 the grape vine. This is indigenous to the East 

 Indies, and is cultivated at the Mauritius. 



The Gossypium hirsutum, or hairy cotton plant, 

 is another species ; it has herbaceous stalks branch- 

 ing laterally, rising almost three feet high, and 

 covered with a thick down ; the foot-stalk and mid- 

 rib of the leaf are likewise hairy, and the leaf is 

 divided into three unequal lobes. This plant is bien- 

 nial, or even perennial in the warmer provinces, but 

 in colder climes it becomes an annual, which change 

 is sometimes found to take place in regard to other 

 objects of cultivation in those situations where the 

 winter frost can attack the root of the tender plant, 

 and cause it to lose its vegetating power. This 

 species is said to be indigenous to South America. 



Another species is distinguished by the name of 

 Gossypium religiosum. No reason is assigned why 

 Linnaeus should have bestowed on it so singular a 

 title. The solution of the question was thought to 

 be discovered, on reading in Stedman's Surinam, 

 that the negroes on the coast of Guinea have much 

 veneration for the wild cotton-tree; unfortunately, 

 however, on inquiring farther, we find that the tree 

 associated with religion by the Africans, is the lofty 

 bombax bearing no similitude to this diminutive 

 plant, but resembling, though far surpassing our 

 largest oaks in elegance and magnitude. The exalted 



