170 



POPULAR ECONOMIC BOTANY. 



vegetable fibres we have noticed are all derived from the 

 stems or leaves of the plants yielding them, but the Cotton 

 Wool and one or two similar fibres are found in the seed- 

 pods of the plants producing them. 



Cotton Wool. — The woolly covering of the seeds of 

 several species of Gossi/pnmi. (Nat. Ord. Malvace^E,) 



No history of the cotton-plant has ever yet been pub- 

 lished equal to the highly erudite work of Dr. J. Pbrbes 

 Eoyle ^ On the Culture and Commerce of Cotton in India 

 and elsewhere/ from which source the following historical 

 facts are gleaned. The earliest mention of cotton with 

 which we are acquainted is found dated 800 years B.C. in 

 the Sacred Institutes of Manu, in which it is mentioned so 

 repeatedly as to imply that it was in common use at that 

 time by the inhabitants of India. Dr. Eoyle says he has 

 been informed by Professor Wilson that cotton, and cotton 

 cloth are mentioned (in that book) by the Sanscrit names 

 Jcurpasa and karpastm, and cotton seeds as hirpas-asthi. 

 The common name, hipas, indicating cotton with the seed, 

 is no doubt derived from the Sanscrit name, and is in com- 

 mon use all over India, and may even be heard occasionally 

 in Manchester. In Book ii. p. 44 of Manu, cotton is 

 mentioned in a manner to indicate the esteem in which it 



