The Bossier banner., 1888-01-12
SOUTHERN AGRICULTURAL.
Genesis of the Cotton Plant.

Visitors ut the Cotton Exposition in
Atlanta, six years ago. may remember
having seen growing near the Fair
grounds several specimens of the
Asiatic cotton plant. There were
many varieties, but all belonged to
one general species. quite distinct
from any then generally known in the
United States. The plant was very
peculiar in its general appearance.
being small and scrubby, with small
notched leaves, and remarkably
bright yellow flower. The seeds were
thickIy covered with q fuzzy looking,
greenish down. And the staple pro.
duced was quite short though very
| fine.
This was the gosypium nerbaceum of
|. the botanist, and its varieties the
"Surat, tho Madras" and "Short
Egyptian Staple' of commerce. An.
other variety of the same species is the
celebrated "nankeen," so called from
the circumstance that it is supposed tc
have originated in the great valley Of
tho Yantgze, near the ancient capital
of the Chinese Empire. All these va
rieties have subsequently been intro
duced in the United States. but 1t is
apprehendcd they will soon degenerate
into coarse staple of comparatively
little commercial value.
Botanists tell us there are but four
distinct primary species of the cotton
plant, although there are con.
stantly increasing varieties ol
the same species. brought about
by climatic and other causes.
Three of these species seem to be in
digenous to the American continent;
and. strange to say, neither of them
have ever been successfully repro
duced in Southern Asia, any more than
the distinctiycly Asiatic species has
ever been successfully reproduced in
the United States
At the head of tho list. as having
| greater commercial value than any o1
the others. is the gosypium Barba-
dense or the "Sea Island Cotton" OF
commerce. 1t has never been success
fully cultivated outside tho States OF
Georgia, South Carolina and Florida;
nor even in these States very far from
the coast Ilshome is upon the islands
and small portions of tho main land
of the three States named. Efforts
have failed to naturalize it in Asia.
And when transplanted to the uplands
of Georgia. it soon dcgenerates, and
loses its distinctive qualities, The
saline Ingredients OF soil and atmos.
| phere, peculiar 10 certain districts on
our Southern coast are indispensable
elements of its growth.
The species of the next highest i'm.
portance had its origin on the Pacific
slopes of South America, and Is known
to botanisis as the gosypium Peruvi-
anum. Notwithstanding its name, il
seems to have been of Chilian origin,
though it will be remembered that the
| present territory of Chilli was first
known to Europeans as Peru" The
"green seed" cotton, now so common
in all our cotton producing States, is
a variety of this species, just as the
''black seed'' is a variety of the bar
badense.
The third species is that of Asia, al
ready noticed, and known rs gosypium
nerbaceum. There are several varie.
ties of it now grown in the United
States; but even a superficial compare
son of the staple produced from il
here, with that produced from it in the
land of its nativity, will show very
marked degeneration. especially after
the first crop. Just why this should be
so, pretend not to know; but mere
ly state q fact falling under my own
observation. The fourth and last spe-
cies is tho gosypium arboreum. 1t is.
MS the name implies, a large tree-like
plant, and produces n fine yellowish
white wool. but of so very short staple
rs to be practically worthless in COM
merce. 1t is perennial, and is
found all the way from the 18TH
mus of Panama to the deep
valleys of the remote interior of
Colombia, some six hundred miles
from the coast. Its usual height is
from eight to twelve feet, though
have frequently seen it rs high as
twenty. 1t has sometimes been con-
founded with what is vulgarly known
az the ''wool tree' of New Granada,
which is, however, very different
thing.
have always had tho impression
that the arboreum might. by proper
cultivation and care. in latitudes south
of the frost line, be developed into a
long staple. and thus made valuable
in commerce. But this. so far rs am
aware. has never been attempted in
the land of its nativity. and there is
no places in the United States, unless
it be in Florida and Southern Cali
fornia, where the experiment could be
made with any reasonable prospect of
success. - William L. Scruoos in
Southern CultiUator.