

102 TEXTILE FIBRES. 



Gin Cut Cotton staples are distinguished by matted tufts of densely 

 white fibres that are present in the samples. These are due to two 

 causes : First, the masses of seed cotton have been picked before the 

 plumose fibres have spread out, i.e., before the fibres are ready for 

 disseminating the seeds : second, the seed cotton has been cleaned from 

 the seeds before it was ripe, as is evidenced by the matted white 

 irregular tufts that are present in gin cut staples. These reduce the 

 selling price in the market. 



In the process of Cotton Ginning the seeds sometimes pass through 

 the grids to the saw cylinder, or are cut by the sharp edge of the 

 beater and the doctor knife in the roller gin. Such seeds may pass 



Fig. 68. Neps(magn.). 



through whole or get broken into small fragments. The fragmental 

 portions of cotton seeds carry a tuft of attached fibres on the outer 

 membrane ; this is termed a bearded mote, and is regarded as an 

 imperfection or an impurity, as it interferes with the spinning qualities 

 of a good yarn. Bearded motes ought to be taken out in the tops and 

 strips of the revolving flat card. The dark portion of the mote and the 

 numerous fibres attached interfere with the good qualities of the yarn. 

 Bearded motes are perhaps more common in Brazilian, American, and 

 East Indian cottons. At first they are brown in colour, but turn black 

 in the conditioning of the yarn under long exposure. 



Cotton Crops. In America the arrival of the new crop means that 



