A STORY OF COTTON 33 



YEAR, at ALL points where cotton is EXPOSED to the ele- 

 ments, even when a MOST CONSCIENTIOUS EFFORT is 

 made to AVOID damage, in the manner above described. 



IT IS IMPOSSIBLE, to prevent a bale of cotton from becom- 

 ing damaged by water, if the bale is allowed to remain in the 

 open and subjected to the elements, for any GREAT LENGTH 

 OF TIME. 



As substantiating this statement, we will endeavor to analyze 

 DAMAGE BY WATER. 



The arguments and statements that follow can very easily 

 be substantiated or refuted by any one desiring so to do, as 

 there are thirteen million opportunities each year, to PROVE 

 or DISPROVE the statements, that, in the following analysis, 

 we will endeavor to make comprehensive. 



Any statements to the contrary, WITHOUT THE PROOF, 

 can, in no way, influence, if the opportunities for proof are 

 not taken advantage of, as the opportunities are abundant for 

 the bearing out of all of our arguments, or CONTRADICT- 

 ING any or all of them. 



ANALYSIS OF DAMAGE TO COTTON BY WATER. 



A BALE OF LINT COTTON, is composed of billions of 

 fibres of COTTON LINT. 



Each fibre of cotton is a cellulous tube. 



In the beginning of a cotton season, the cotton, after it is 

 ginned and baled, has, apparently, within the bale, and either 

 IN, or around the tubes of each fibre, some NATURAL VEGE- 

 TABLE OIL that evaporates as the season progresses. 



Whether this oil, or this SEEMING vegetable oil, is due to 

 a slight immaturity of the fibre, caused by the picking of cot- 

 ton, a little prematurely, or, whether, IN FACT, such an oil 

 exists is a matter for professional chemists to determine; BUT 



What are known as "the first bales of cotton," that are 

 marketed, have a peculiar odor in evidence, when one samples 

 the bale, that identifies a SOMETHING, associated with this 

 fibre that is capable of emitting a decided odor. 



This odor usually disappears, as the season advances, and, 

 in a very short time, is not noticeable. 



