COTTON SPECIES 



277 



making most crosses between the American and Asiatic 

 groups, Watt maintains that such crosses are possible. 



260. American upland cotton. — This constitutes all of 

 the cotton crop of , the United States except the small 

 amount of Sea Island cotton grown near the South Atlantic 

 and Gulf coasts. It forms the largest single item of ex- 

 port, and brings into the United States more money than 

 any other crop or single line of manufacture. 



American upland cotton may be divided into two prin- 

 cipal classes: (1) short-staple varieties and (2) long-staple 

 varieties. The chief distinction between these is in the 

 length of Unt, that of 

 short-staple being usu- 

 ally f to 1| inches, 

 while long-staple, or 

 " staple cotton," usu- 

 ally has a length of 

 IJ to If inches. 



Between these two 

 groups, which are 

 somewhat sharply dis- 

 tinguished from each 

 other, lies an inter- 

 mediate class. The 

 cottons of this class are called commercially " Benders" 

 or " Rivers." These names arise from the fact that this 

 intermediate kind is grown chiefly on moist bottom land. 

 Such soil has a tendency to lengthen the staple even of a 

 short-staple variety. Moreover, there are varieties hav- 

 ing intermediate lengths of lint, even when grown on up- 

 land. 



Fig. 130. — Various Shapes op Cotton 

 Bolls. 



On left, Sea Island ; in center, a typical 

 long-staple ; and on right, a typical short- 

 staple of the big-boll class. 



