The Green Forest tribune., 1909-12-24
RIVAL FOR COTTON
Mexican Tree Gives Forth Fiber
 Like That of Plant.
Use for Manufacture Will Be Attempt ed Shortly-PilIoWs and Mat treSses Now Made-Bol Is
 Easily Gathered.

Cotton that grows upon trees threat ems to come into competition with the American cotton that grows on an- nual plants. This cotton that grows on trees is the product of Mexico, and 1t grows wild in the region of So nora and Sinaloa, now being opened to commerce by the Hartman lines.
 The tree is known to Mexicans as the adlone, and one tree, it is assert ed produces as much cotton as an acre of the average American field product. The staple of the Mexican cotton is not as long as the American plant product, but there is no neces- s1ty of ginning the Mexican cotton Merely f1aying is as wheat was threshed few years ago will rid it Of seeds. The staple is about an inch long and is said to be sufficient for all ordinary purposes of com merce.
 Charles Cummins, a rancher, who has big hacienda in Sonora, has been experimenting with the tree grown cotton. and he is preparing to build small mill to weave the cloth as an experiment. The cotton grows wild in that part of Mexico Labor is cheap and Mexicans can be hired to gather it, MT. Cummins says, at small cost. He believes he will be able to produce a cloth the equal of that made from American and Egypt ian cotton, and if so, he says, there is pnGnOh in, Mexico to supply that country with all the cotton cloth it will need
 The tree resembles the cottonwood, familiar throughout the United States along the borders of the streams, and is probably of the same variety. It is a prolific bearer, and Cummins says the cotton is not difficult to gather, as the trees seldom exceed 20 feet in height.
 The trees have pinnate leaves and, following the blossoms which greatly resemble the blossoms of the Ameri- can cotton stalk, develops bolls much like cotton boil These bolls are filled with fiber which closely resembles the real cotton fiber, except in length
 The Mexican has never attempted to weave the fiber, but for ages they have been using it for filling mat tresses and pillows, and they find it is superior to cotton, as it does not gather into knots as cotton will do when used as filler for pillows and mattresses, without elaborate prepa- rations
 The bolls are cotton shaped like the cotton boil, but are much larger, being four or five inches in length. The Mexican, in gathering cotton, pick the bolls just before they are ripe enough to open, and drop their contents to the ground The bolls are dried until they open and the lint can be removed. The lint is then placed on canvass and failed. The seed readily drop out of the lint, and the fiber is gathered ready for use
 MT. Cummins believes he can spin and weave the fiber into fine quality of cloth. He says the fiber is stronger than the American cotton, and he be- lieves the cloth will be more lasting and durable. Even if he does not sue ceed in spinning and weaving the fiber, he is certain he can use it as fiber for mattresses, pillows and up- holstery work. He believes there will be ready market for the rroduct.
 There is legend that the Indians of that region wore clothing of fine texture many years ago. and when they crossed the mountains to other sections of undeveloped Mexico, it is the belief that they used the fiber of these trees for their wearing apparel Pieces of the cotton cloth have been northern Mexico by explorers in re- cent years.