14 MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS. 
of both of these varieties is remarkably free from this so-called longer ‘ 
group of fibers. In the case of the greatly improved Russell strain, 
which has become distinctive enough in good lint characters and yield 
to be designated as a new variety—the so-called Columbia cotton—- 
these longer fibers are evident to a remarkable degree. 
THE TRUE NATURE OF THE LONGER FIBERS. 
It has been more or less the rule with cotton breeders and cotton 
growers acquainted with the requisites of desirable lint characters to 
regard these extra-long fibers as an unfavorable feature. In this light 
they meant a variation toward nonuniformity. In the work of selec- 
tion, to avoid as much as possible a perpetuation of this sort of varia- 
tion, plants showing this character most markedly were regarded with 
_suspicion and later even discarded, although 
~~~ ~~~ in other respects they were among the best in 
ee sh LE ae the field. 
a ee, A careful examination leads to the conclusion 
that these fibers should be regarded in a wholly 
eT ee ei different light. They are not longer fibers as 
pa Ct*éthtc’:shawee eclen generally considered, but are 
Fic. 1.—Single cotton fibersfrom caused by more or less curling and interweaving, 
ome longer group of qwhich results in the pulling out of Jibers Srom 
adjacent seeds. 
In the ordinary manner of stretching the locks to determine the 
drag, the fibers are slowly separated and drawn out, and at those points 
of greatest binding, as shown in Plate II, C, a, 6, and c, the groups of 
longer fibers appear to rise. If, now, a single seed is selected and 
detached from the rest and the Pitre group of fibers loosened from 
its attachment to the seed oy i 
coat in the neighborhood of 3 cee 
the longer groups, one. can W)-——._7 ~~ 7 
with fine forceps draw these 5-3 a 
fibers out carefully and com- 
pare their length withiiose = aap asain) ener 
of the rest of the seed. Se aaa 
In many instances the'sin- 3.3 eS ae 
gle fibers now readily sepa- Fig. 2.—A few extra-long cotton fibers, showing two 
rate, since the tension of eg 
ails has ceased. Several of these single fibers are shown in figure 1.. 
In some instances fibers nearly twice the normal length are drawn out. 
Oftentimes with the naked eye the point of union or tying may be 
discerned by the tiny loose ends, as is shown in figure 2. In other 
cases, however, this point of union is so intimate that only a high 
microscopic power can make it evident. Figure 3 illustrates various 
11l1—II 
