78 
COTTON 
hand down to the future race all the life of the past. 
Like surely begets like. Offspring of either plant 
or animal inherit the essential characteristics that 
were a vital part of the parental stock. These 
inherited characteristics, however, are always sub- 
ject to change as a result of change in environment. 
If any plant or animal were confined to a par- 
ticular soil, feeding on the same food, and with un- 
varying climatic conditions, then all members of 
the tribe or species would grow more and more 
similar in type, form, and quality. Only in non- 
essentials would differences appear. 
The American deer, for example, grown under 
the same conditions of habit, food and climate, for 
so long a time, has developed the most remarkable 
uniformity. Only the most careful observer is 
able to note individual peculiarities of form, color, 
or outline. 
Let the American breeder take this same animal 
and place it under a new environment, and a change 
will be noticed very early in his breeding operations. 
This change of environment gives the law known 
as variation an opportunity to show its power and 
influence. 
The cotton plant has been subjected to this 
change in environment. We can neither tell you 
when nor how it happened. Mere conjecture 
would suggest only a starting point. Still the fact 
remains that cotton was early known in India, 
Egypt, Corea, China, South America, and the 
Lesser Antilles. How the plant got to any of these 
countries no one knows, and possibly no one will 
ever know. The important fact is this : there are 
reat differences in soil, climate, and environment 
etween China and South America, between India 
and the South Sea Islands, between Egypt and 
