2 THE DEVELOPMENT? OF RAW COTTON . 



cottons are relatively simple, though the details are 

 almost incapable of resolution. 



The object of all classificatory, or systematic, biology 



was, in the first instance, to provide a designation for 



every known organism by which it could be 



^ c ? conveniently mentioned without circum- 

 Classification. 



locution. At a later date the idea of a 



common ancestry for those forms which were closely 

 similar took root and grew until the old purpose of mere 

 convenience was overshadowed by the purpose of tracing 

 relationships. For many years after the " Origin of 

 Species " was published this newer purpose was pro- 

 ductive mainly of argument, but the present century has 

 seen a revival of experiment in this direction, with con- 

 sequent advances in knowledge. 



The end and aim of such inquiry is thus the construc- 

 tion of a genealogical tree which shall show the evolution 

 of each organism from extinct or surviving 

 Genealogical ancestors Such a tree has the advantage 

 Tree. 



of being pictorial, therefore easily memor- 

 ized, and serving a more definite purpose than the assign- 

 ment of names which to the trade, at least are merely 

 useless duplicates of easier names. 



The genealogy of any cultivated crop is necessarily 

 intricate, owing to transport of seed from one country to 

 another, and to natural or artificial crossing of stocks thus 

 obtained, with the consequent formation of commercial 

 varieties which embody not only the original wild varieties, 

 but many compounds of elements inherited fractionally 

 from them. 



