2 BULLETIN 38, TJ. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



the field and in the factor}-. It yields heavily and produces fiber 

 which manufacturers of long-staple cottons have found to be very 

 satisfactory in spinning quality. The experience of those who 

 planted this cotton last year indicates that it can be profitably grown 

 in the Salt River Valley. 



There is at present no evidence that any other cotton will be more 

 profitable in this district. If in the future, evidence should be forth- 

 coming that a change to some other type would be advantageous, the 

 change should be made at once and by the community as a whole. 

 Meantime the introduction of other sorts by individual growers 

 should be discouraged, as it would surely spell disaster to a promising 

 industry. 



THE EGYPTIAN TYPE OF COTTON. 



Egyptian cotton is a distinct type which bears a resemblance to the 

 American Sea Island, yet it is quite different from the latter. Its 

 origin is obscure, although it is generally believed to be partly of 

 Sea Island ancestry. The fiber of Egyptian cotton is especially used 

 in manufacturing goods in which great strength is required, such as 

 sewing thread, automobile-tire fabrics, the better quality of hosiery, 

 etc. ; also the finer grades of cotton cloth, for the production of which 

 long and fine fiber is demanded. 



The history of cotton growing in Egypt has been marked by the 

 appearance of one variety after another. Each of these gave very 

 satisfactory results at first, but soon " ran out," owing to the failure 

 of the growers to keep their seed pure. About 30 years ago the Mit 

 Afifi variety came into prominence, and in 1912 this variety still con- 

 stituted 25 per cent of the entire crop of the country. Its lint is of 

 medium length (1^ to If inches) and is distinguished by its deep buff 

 color. The Mit Afifi variety is often referred to by the trade name, 

 " Brown Egyptian." In the last 10 years it has deteriorated rapidly 

 and no longer holds its former high place in the estimation of cotton 

 spinners. More recently, longer linted varieties, of which Janno- 

 vitch, Xubari, and Sakellaridis are the most important, have been 

 successively developed. Of these, Jannovitch and Nubari have 

 already begun to run out. Sakellaridis, on the other hand, is of 

 such recent origin that there has been less opportunity for mixing 

 and deterioration. 



Each of these varieties apparently originated suddenly with a 

 single very distinct plant growing in a field of some older variety. 

 The origin of a variety in this manner is termed by plant breeders 

 " mutation," or " sporting," and the new type thus developed is 

 usually so different from the parent variety that no relationship 

 would be suspected if the origin were not known. Mutations are 



