The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1915-12-03
Hopes to Evolve Perfect
Black as Result of His EX-
perimentS-Was Also
Originator of Well Known
Upland Long Staple.


produce cotton in all the shades of
the spectrum. At least that is the
proposition on which Arthur w.
Brabham of Bamberg county, South
Carolina, is engaged. Should he sue
ceed-and he has made consid-
cradle progress-textile manufactur-
erS would not be perturbed by the
scarcity of analine dyestuffs, just
now an embarrassing problem, Incl
dent to the blockade of German and
allied arteries of trade.
The chief objective with Mr.. Brab-
ham is to produce black cotton. A
distinctly bronzed tint has been real
lied by six years of systematic cross
fertilization of the Egyptian brown
with the Russell big boil, variety
common to South Carolina planta-
tions. Continuation of this plan, the
Bamberg county plant breeder is con-
fide1t, will bring the hybrid black
IN the basic colors CT his cotton
scheme.
Mr.. Brabham pointed out when
visited a few days ago what is not
generally known, that already four
distinct tints of cotton are being
grown in different parts of the world
In confirmation of his argument he
drew from his sample case yellow
Chinese cotton, grown from seed i'm
ported from the Far East. Flanking
the fence parallel with the road by
his home grew Egyptian brown of
luxuriant growth, we'll fruited with
shapely bolls, as if perfectly accli-
mated. He further emphasized that
gray cotton is grown in India, varie-
ties similar to the Egyptian in Peru
and Hawaii and South America, and
reddish-hued cotton also in Peru.
native white cotton, he insists that a
natural cotton spectrum could be
easily built.
Burbank Skeptical.
Luther Burbank, whose rare COM
binations of bewitching colors in
flowers and magnificent successes in
hybridizing fruits has won the glow
ing admiration of the world, believes
black cotton is not "an absolute i'm
possibility" He is slightly incredu-
lous, though, and comments: "It is
somewhat doubtful if black cotton
will be produced in this generation,
if ever" He wouldn't undertake it's
production at any price, he writes.
The fundamental principles in
breeding the new variety of cotton
are exceedingly simple. Early in the
day, when the blossom first opens
wide, the pollen is shaken from the
bloom of one variety into the bloom
of another. The fertilized bloom is
then tied up that bees may not Gin
feet" Though white the first day,
the blooms turn pink and drop the
following day, so that the operation
is as brief as it is simple. The Egyp-
tian cotton used as one basic stock
is of a brownish hue. The Russell
big boil, on which it is "crossed,"
enlarges the Egyptian boil and adds
quality to the length of the fibre. The
seed of the Russell also has blan-
ket wrapped about of exceedingly
short, greenish, fuzzlike FIBRE The
elongatiOn of this has had a distinct
effect in producing the bronzed type
of hybrid cotton.
Much interest is being manifested
in TIE work of Mr.. Rrabham, which
has been carried on throughout
number of years.
Big Mill is Interested.
One large cotton manufacturing
establishment in New England, which
consumes annually 10000 bales of
cotton for "mercerized" goods, is
making elaborate experiments with
the Brabham product. Tests are be-
ing made of the tensile strength of
the fibre, the fastncss Of the color
and the calendarizing qualities of the
cloth Should the experiments bear
out the general belief of manufac-
tur"rs a tremendous demand would
arise for the use of the cotton in
"mercerized' goods manufacture
Quietly and unobtruSively the Bam-
berg county wizard has gone about
his task. Although he has chased the
elusive igniS fatuus idea of black cot
ton through six successive years,
there has been no blaring of trum-
pets in accompaniment His neigh
bors only knew that he was about his
old prankS of cross fertilization of
different varieties of corn, peas and
cotton, to produce something "i'rreg-
ular." But this untiring' zeal and
persistent application through many
discouragements and failures elected
no praise and provoked no admira-
tion. Like most gifted men he bears
the stigma of being "little cranky"
When inquiry was made for the plant
er in the little town of Olar, 10 miles
removed from the Brabham home, ac-
half apologeticaIly at
tributed the cotton fetish to this lido
syncrasyl
Home is Isolated.
JIn li,ync -,