COTTON FIBER 



191 



The Seed. In each division of the boll there is a 

 lock of cotton, which contains six to twelve seeds, making 

 about 25 to 40 seeds in one boll. The number of seeds 

 depends largely upon the variety, as some varieties have 

 much larger seeds than others. The color of the seeds 

 varies from white to blue, depending largely upon the 

 variety. In most varieties of upland cotton, the seed is 

 covered with fuzz. In some of the long-staple varieties, 

 the seed is practically free from fuzz and is generally black 



Fig. 107. Cotton bolls at various stages of growth. 



in color. The legal weight of a bushel of seed in most 

 states is 32 pounds. 



Varieties. Cotton grown in the United States may be 

 classified into three groups: i. upland cotton; 2. Sea 

 Island cotton; 3. Egyptian cotton. The first group con- 

 stitutes about 99 per cent of the cotton produced in the 



