The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1855-12-15
vdr,etle. OF Cotton.

ported and used IN Great Britain have been
examined under the microscope by Or. Ure
land by Mr.. E.SWilson. 70 their obseryations
we are indebted for the following measure
ments: In examining o sample OF cotton, it is
usual to take o portion Of it between the fore
finger and thumb, and laying the portions as
they are successfully drawn out back again oh
and parallel to- the flments from which they
have been drawn out, and repeating this pro-
cess several times, small tufts are formed, in
which the respective lengths Of staple may be
observed. +.
The fbrealof cotton when drawn out from
the mass in which they appear %entangled, dis
play so many irregular twists as to give them
. jointed appearance, and, as Mr.. E. Wilson
observes, !" in this state they resemble . string
of oval beads, pointed OF each extremity, and
connected Ny their points,"
The entire fibre appears to taper finely to
both ends that which is adherent to the seed
being somewhat the thickest. Under the mi
croscope the fibre is observed to be continuous,
moderately twisted, fiat, ribbon-like, clear, and
transparent in the middle and opaque towards
each margin. The finer and more uniform the
fibre, and more inclined to twist, the better it
is suited for spinning into fine yarn. But if
the fbres are short, broad and formed Of fimsy
RIBBONS, they are less suited for machine SPIN
hlng' tnongh they may yet, as before mentloned,
ne tMlsted INTO thread ~ the dellcate myers OF
the hlhuoo. @lfs vi - 4ii E ~
The value of cotton depends on the length,
strength and fitness, as well as on the s~oftness
and equality Of the fibre. But these essential
qualities are modified by color and cleanliness
Una. Is; lreedom IRON KNOTS ana lmporines, SO
.nat tRere may pe less waste IN spinning.
= ormerly' Color hau grea. inhpence, put now
tpe grea1 dlstlncllon - 1nto long stapiea ana
snort stapied. Inc different KINDS OF cotton
alner IRON eacn otner BOT only IN me ABOVE
properties, put also IN considerable differences
III qualty between dinerent sampies-eE tA
SANE T'1nsl h;.'a VI co.son. ne nnes1 quanty o. oea
lsland IS someone's worm thres tunes us mnch
US the common qnalty OF the same class; Inc
yarlaelon OF qa ey IN most ~ q Inc ne other de-
mountainous IS from ~ to 70 per cent. and IN
none OF tnem Is more than oo per cent. lhese
are sometimes dlV1aed INTO three or four quail
nes, as oralhary, mlddllng, lar ana hne' AZ
otner tlmes these are sun turther sub-dlvlded,
as. lneo mleflor' ordinary mlddllng, good
mloallhg, mddllng,lalf ialr' goodman, hne, or
COCO ana me. Except the better quantities Of
oea lslands .nere IS no sort OF cotton winch is
no" connheo IN us use 10 any necullar or ex-
c au1h purpose. ny mixing inherent sorts 70
getner. ana py careful management III preparing
o ono a mA' ~ =, .spaa:lns' sne lnaluiaclareis
t;or,la auI 1,; n.aA ae q aa suos'i suus ~ alinos1 any par :.
= 10 naan :. oo !" oAlep' ane very pes.. !,
nottoDs I 1 nen " IIa , .nas e ~ lug Is sa.pieu
wv >. ~ sIh e. Isa iol Wy sw,ss VI
~ uuu L snois s'apiea .or the welt
Hea lslana' OF long stapled cotton, the most
nlghiy esteemed OF the cottons, is remarkable
ior Ine length and hrmness OF its fibre, as for
us SILKY soltness. Among white cotton, it is
~distlngulsaed by q slight yellowish tinge OF
color. ms KIND sells IN England from eighteen
pence 70 Two shlllings, and has sold as high as
I'VE ana seven snlillngs q pound. The quantl-
y Is lmlteo' from the pecullarlty OF physical
circumstances required tor its production. The
np1es are eqaapie' ABOUT ~ inches in length,
ana eHamlhed under the microscope, about one
Two tnousa'dth part OF an lnch IN diameter,
Iormea Of hattened cylinders, transparent in
mora rno aa or lass o tw;Dted 'oM nr 17 ,ne I'M margin, ana
some kinds ,sa er; S " tron Dn. oLe nus nus observed ser
handoaes and snmo , ";thet a., s.shlllesuia,
warts wh;rh od Ian WI W 4ba ni a;saz i ~ a,in s ana
ments called nevs, h1 sn M1 s.oes NJ " w. 1W:, nia-
Describes the Soc 1s1oya 1 u .h;ei. s WI wilson
hit inolinm 4ha hfana a. 9 ~ 1nioA anu narrow
naIed eua Th Il l ;use !, ~ on, a,l ~ seen WIN the
tha Hne a. vo ms NJ 4 Employed lot spinning
nv Tn,
oplana' or snort staple cotton, under which
names are now usually included the produce
VI 'ne INFERIOR OF georgia and Carolina, as well
US Alabama, mississippi Louisiana and Ten
neS S5 u useo 10 De, and is sometimes still,
calleu poWea' from the cotton of Georgia
having oeehtiofmeriy cleaned with the Indian
unequal, this is white in color, much esteemed
=. I'll. nv -. - "nu a quarler lhcnes