CHAPTER XVI 

 COTTON — THE PRINCIPAL SPECIES 



Cotton may be annual or biennial, according to the 

 particular species, and dependent upon the climate in 

 wliich the plant grows. As cultivated in the principal 

 cotton-producing countries, all the important species of 

 cotton are annuals, maturing seed before cold weather, 

 and being killed by frost. In ver}^ warm countries, plants 

 of some species live for a number of years. This tend- 

 ency toward a perennial habit still exists in the cotton 

 grown in the United States, as is evident from its throwing 

 out, after a mild winter, shoots from the roots or stem of 

 the preceding year. 



248. Family and genus. — The cotton plant is one of 

 the Mallow famil}^ {M alvacea) . This family also in- 

 cludes okra ; a number of cultivated flowers, as, holly- 

 hocks, hibiscus, and althea or " Rose of Sharon " ; a 

 considerable number of not very troublesome weeds ; 

 and certain plants the bark of which affords useful fiber. 

 The Mallow family includes both herbs and shrubs or 

 trees. All the jjlants within it have flowers with five 

 petals and numerous stamens, the supports for the sta- 

 mens forming a tube around the pistil ; there are usually 

 several leaf-like parts (bracts) just below and around 

 the flower, three of these forming in cotton what is known 



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