28 
and the characters by which they are distinguished from 
one another, some authorities admitting only four species, 
whilst others describe more than twenty. Among the 
former is Dr. Forbes Royle, who says^^ : '^The result of our 
investigation of the species of the genus Gossypium is, that 
there are at least four distinct species which may be easily 
distinguised, and that the great mass, probably the whole 
of the cotton of commerce, is yielded by three of these 
species and their varieties.” Attempts have been made to 
distinguish the various species of Gossypium according to 
the colour of the cotton produced by them, but as might be 
anticipated vdth little success, since the colour of the organs 
of plants seems to be one of the least persistent of their 
characteristics. Anyone, indeed, examining a collection of 
specimens of cotton fibre must see that there are few marked 
distinctions between them as regards colour, none being 
absolutely white, and the greater number exhibiting various 
shades of cream colour, verging to fawn. Nankin cotton 
may be considered as being placed, as far as colour is con- 
cerned, at the extreme end of the scale, at the other end of 
which we find Sea Island and other almost pure white 
kinds. Several authorities assert, it is true, that Nankin 
cotton is produced by one species of the genus only, viz., 
G. religiosum, but others say it is found on more than one 
species. Among the latter I may again quote Dr. Forbes 
Royle, who says : “ G. religiosum of Linnmus seems to be 
distinguished from other species only by having tawny- 
coloured cotton ; but we have seen that both the common 
Indian cotton, the Chinese cotton, the arboreous species, and 
G. harhadense all occasionally produce nankeen-coloured 
cotton, and that, therefore, it cannot be considered as char- 
acteristic.” Referring to '' China cotton” the same author 
saysf : “ The specimen in Herb. Hook, from Mr. Fortune, is 
* On tlie Culture and Commerce of Cotton, &c., p. 151. 
t On tlie Culture and Commerce of Cotton, &c., p. 143. 
