33 



PREFACE 



THE simple story of a cotton-fibre has been made 

 difficult in the past, because of a general disinclina- 

 tion to recognize the law-abiding habits of plants, 

 and it has not been made easier by the tendency to 

 regard cotton as a special gift of Nature, destined to 

 man's use. Further, our knowledge of cotton has lagged 

 far behind our knowledge of other useful plants, because 

 it was but rarely that the trained student found himself 

 living in the cotton areas, and it was still less often 

 that so living he possessed the necessary tools where- 

 with to exercise his craft; lastly having the tools he 

 ran the risk of obsession by the financial significance of 

 the cotton-plant. 



The main purpose of this book is to present the history 

 of the development of cotton-lint, for although this 

 development is essentially normal and simple, it may 

 possibly be of some ultimate use that the mystery which 

 has enwrapped it should be removed. 



Accessory to this purpose it has been needful to indi- 

 cate the manner of the development of the plant on which 

 this lint is borne. In doing this I have taken occasion 

 to point out some of the more recent views and methods 

 which the " organized common sense " of natural science 

 has brought to bear on cotton, and also to indicate the 

 practical bearings of such views and methods. 



It cannot be denied that the latter aim of this book 



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