The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1900-11-14
nlQh School Bulletin.
EDITORIAL STAFF.
Editor in -Ohisf-Ens Millirsn.
Assistant Editer-vela Msaaw.
Lseal Editor-Kathryn King
COTTON.

toiloNs
One OF the greatest OF our national
industries, which Is supplied by the raw
material, is cotton and 1t may be consid-
cred the most valuable OF natures pro-
duction. Cotton is grown in the semi
tropical regions. There are seven
species OF cotton, the rest being vari-
eties. The American cotton is known
as the Occidental cotton, which Is
divided into two divisions. The cotton
which contains black seeds has yellow
flowers with purple spot at the petals
base; the other division has white or
pinkish colored flowers. These two
kinds cannot always be told by the ap-
pearance of the seed, for by experiment
the difference OF the seeds is shown to
be by different soil and cultivation. The
cotton OF America Is used more for man
ufacturing than any other cotton. The
Sea Island cotton Is the best cotton OF
the world. 1t is raised on low islands
of the coast Of Georgia and is known
for the length, beauty and strength Of
Is fibers. Sea Island cotton has been
successfully grown in other countries,
such as Egypt and Queensland The
cotton seed is sown in March and April
and the crop is gathered from August
to the first frost. The process OF sep
arating the seeds, which resemble cof-
fee berries, from the cotton balls Is
called ginning" There is only about
one-third Of the cotton fit for manufac-
turing, the other two-thirds being seeds.
Before the year 1902 the cotton was
cleaned by hand, mostly by slaves who
could only clean about one pound day,
and therefore cotton was very expensive
and only the rich could wear It. But
in 1892 Eli Whitney when visiting in
Georgia Invented the 'cotton gin" for
separating the seeds from the cotton.
He put no patent on it and in short
time it was used all over the Southern
states. 1t was a great Improvement
over the old way for with it set up a
man could clean 1000 pounds day.
Men began to enlarge their farms and
raise cotton on large scale and in a
short time cotton became cheap. The
seed obtained in ginning, that is not
required for sowing, is many thousand
tons. 1t is pressed for oil, which, when
refined, is often used with olive oil, the
pumice is made into cakes for feeding
cattle, or into material for making
paper, while the remainder is made in
to soap. Even the stems of the cotton
plant are used for baskets and other
things. The cotton lands OF the south
are capable of producing more cotton
than the whole world will need for many
years to come. Previous to the year
1918 the production OF cotton was small
all over the world. The United States
leads in the production of cotton, pro-
ducing one-half Of the amount grown In
the world. The amount raised here In
the United States In 1899 was 7 7,020, 200
bales or valued at 1921 ,045, ,346. The
United States will not only be able to
supply the raw material for the world,
but also the manufactured, as 1t has ex-
cellent water power and coal for steam
power. AT present however England
leads in the manufacture of cotton
goods. There are about 100000 people
employed in the raising and manufac-
turing OF cotton. The manufactures at
one time were all In the New England
states, but now they are in almost all
OF the Middle Atlantic and Southern
states and few In the Central states.
1t is easily seen from the amount OF
men employed and the capital invested
that cotton ranks almost first In our
national industries.
VERDI DoUGHERTY, '02.