Arizona republican., 1920-02-20
BRIEF HISTORY IF DEvELOPM
 IF COTTON HERE

Egyptian cotton was first introduced into the Salt River valley in 1900. At this time, experts from the Bureau or Plant Industry obtained and exper- imented with all the most prominent varieties of cotton from Egypt. After careful observation, the Nit Afifi was snown to be the best adapted to the conditions in Arizona After years of oeveiopment at Yuma, Arizona, there was found in 1908, a mutation plant Tn progeny row which was striking " different from the other stalks the staple being much longer and radically dlfferent from the original parent Nit Aflfi- This plant produced what has been known as the Yuma variety of cotton, having a staple about 11a in ches in length. This variety was pro- ouced in commercial quantities in Ari- zona Tn 1912, the entire crop produc- ton of that year being 280 bales: in 1913, 2,2o0 bales; in 1914, 6.1s7 bales; Tn 1915, 1895 bales; in 1916, 3,331 bales and in 1917, 15.966 bales
 In 1910, the Pima variety was found in a single plant growing in a field or Yuma cotton at Sacaton. Arizona. A progeny row grown the following year from seed from this plant dem onstrated that a new and distinct va riety had appeared. The color of this cotton was lighter than the Yuma va riety, the fiber siIl1ier and finer and the length increased in 1s4 inches During the season of 19I6-17, there were grown 253 bales of Pima variety the seed from which were planted on aeout 1000 acres giving a yield of 2,26O bales The growth of this new variety was supervised by the United States Department of Agriculture. Gas were all previous selections and pro duction of Pima cotton). The ginning or this cotton was done at one gin. no other variety of cotton being gin ned or handled at that gin, and the seed were carefully sacked as they came from the gin. From these pure selected seed, estimated crop of 34,000 bales of Pima cotton will be produced this season on an area of be- tween 10000 and S0,00O acres. Of the favored Pima variety-which has now practically superseded the original Yuma-there has grown during the season of 1917-191S, 2,e66 bales Of this crop, 2,112 bales were ginned at one gin in Tempe, Arizona.
 Between roo and 500 bales were ginned at another gin in Tempe, the grade and staple percentages of these being fully equal to the 2,112 bales.
 The records of the government clas- sification on the 191S-1919 crop shows that 37Eo of the cotton classed to No vernber 23, had a length of fiber 1%4 inches and 459o showed a length of fiber 1i8 inches.
 Because of the growing commercial importance of this cotton, exhaustive spinning tests have been made which show that the American Egyptian cotton is very practical substitute for Sea Island and Sakellaridis Egyp- tian cottons. It may be successfully used in all fine cotton goods and knitted fabrics requiring maximum wearing qualities. The principal uses h fnIn Tr Io- automobile tire fabrics, sewing thread, fine quality dress goods, knitted fab rics, and during war conditions it has been considerably used in manufac- turing airplane, balloon and gas mask cloths. Results of tests indicate this new variety of cotton is not a de- sirable substitute for Sea Island and Sakellaridis Egyptian cottons as its staple is a little longer and in ev- cry other particular seems to possess equal characteristics This is substan- large manufacturers of fine goods.
 During the summer and fall of 1915 the Department of Agriculture made comparative spinning tests of Amer ican-E Egyptian cotton with Sea Island and Sakellaridis- Egyptian cottons at the New Bedford Textile School, New Bedford, Massachusetts, the results of
 
 letfn No. 35s, which may be obtained upon application to the Department of These three cottons were practically the same in grade and character and were tested under the same mechanical conditions. A series of yarn numbers ranging from 10 to 1o0's were made from each variety of cotton. Results indicate that the tensile strength and other manufac turing properties were practically the same. Bleaching, dyeing and mercer izstion tests were also made which practically equal.
 During the fall of 1917 and spring of 1918, the Department of Agriculture made comparative tests of the three varieties previously tested. These tests were made at the Nashwena Mills. New Bedford, Massachusetts, primarily to develop a satisfactory cotton airp1ane fabric. All of these lots were treated practically under the same conditions in making these tests. Two standard fabrics, weighing about fcur ounces per square yard. were from 2-60's yarn containing so thread per inch in both warp and filling, and one from 3-s0's yarn con- taining 6S thread to the inch in both warp and filling. All of the fabrics made came within the required speci- | fications issued by the Bureau of Air | craft PToductlon Board, winch re- quired a fabric to have a maximum l strength and a minimum stretch in | beth warp and filling.
 The results of these tests show that | the strongest fabrics were obtained 1 from the Sakellaridis Egyptian cotton | and that the fabrics made from the | and Sea Island cottons were practically equal to each | other both in strength and stretch.
 
 CROOKS BREAK "DEAD LINE"
 NEW YORK.-The dead line has been punctured.