94 THE DEVELOPMENT OF RAW COTTON 



different pickings have different values; but the extreme 

 rapidity with which the properties of the cotton may 

 change, so that the picking of one day may be capable of 

 differentiation from those of the preceding and following 

 days, has not been previously demonstrated. 



Since the particular series under discussion was not 

 grown under true field crop conditions, we will postpone 

 further comment on this point. 



The next notable feature of these records is the entire 



lack of apparent connection between the various curves. 



Taking the most important cases from the 



n epen ence econom j c view-point, Length and Breaking 

 of Properties. 



strain of the lint, we find the length falling 



steadily while the strength is rising unevenly, so that the 

 pickings which ripen from the flowers of July 29 are both 

 the strongest and the shortest of the whole series. Thence- 

 forward there is a general rise in length and fall in strength, 

 so that the flowers of August 11 ripen into lint which 

 is the longest of the series, but is about 20 per cent, 

 weaker than that of July 29. 



A first casual inspection of the length and breaking 

 strain diagram might thus lead us to the conclusion that 

 Possible a ri P emn S ^oll na ^ the choice between one 

 Relations of f two careers, in so far as its lint was con- 

 Length and cerned : it could either become strong or it 

 could become long, but it could not attain to 

 both at once. A further postulate of some external change 

 which would cause the bolls to turn their attention in 

 one direction or the other would complete a theory of 

 cotton development which would not be far remote from 

 the generally accepted opinion of the present day. 



