St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1910-01-08
RIVAL FOR COTTON
Mexican Tree Gives Forth Fiber
Like That of Plant.
Use for Manufacture VIII Be Attempt
ed shortIy-Pillows and Mat
tresses Now Made-BoH 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-
sity of ginning the Mexican cotton.
| Merely ffaying is as wheat was
threshed few years ago will rid it
or seeds. The staple is about an
inch long and is said to be sufficient
Tor all ordinary purposes of COM
MERGE.
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 1t. Mr.. 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
enough tree cotton now growing 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. 1t is
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 a 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 hollis 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.
Mr.. 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
coed in spinning and weaving the
fiber, he is certain he can use it as
fiber for mattresses, pillows and up-
work. He believes there will |
be ready market for the product.
There is legend that the Indians
Of that region wore clothing of dne |
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
found in caves in some sections of |
northern Mexico by explorers in re-
cent years.