The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1922-10-27
COTTON

6, COTTON
90 . . . o &. y o 9 q o o 3 q
' The fiber of the cotton plant has
: been known for long time as use.
/ full substance for the clothing OF
mankind, but how primitive man first
: learned that the hbers of this plant
: could be drawn into thread and these
threads, by dint of infinite labor and
barbaric patience, could be woven in
to fabric capable of protecting him
from winters storm and the burning
beams of summers suns, or how the
downy luxuriance of its snowy sta
pie would, if massed in sufficient
quantity, give rest and comfort to
his cherries sleeping hours, is not
known. The memory of the past
events can not long be preserved in
the mind OF man, and these specula-
tons, the truth concerning which
would no doubt prove interesting, lie
,enshrouded in the dim, letterless
past, seek as we may to call them
forth.
From the beginning of cotton cul-
ture in Western Hemisphere as nu-
cleus, human efforts have energetical-
ly carried the industry wherever soil
and climate were found suitable for
its profitable growth. Seed distribu-
ton has been wide, and the develop
.ment of the industry has drawn the
attention of the civilized world to it's
varied and wonderful qualities
!, Nature unfolds and develops mans
appreciation and intelligence as his
necessities awaken to new needs, and
thus it is that the introduction and
culture of cotton as necessary COM
modify in our daily lives was long
received with such reluctance, al
though scientists for several centu-
ries have pointed out its usefulness
as a fabric producing material and
not only urged its Introduction into
commercial channels as an active
competitor with wool, fax and silk,
but predicted that through adoption
it would eventually supercede' those
materials in general usefulness.
From the shadows of the remote
past, no definite knowledge, haszeome
to US as to who first mentioned cot
ton. 3s
That the ancients were familiar
with its uses before the Christian
era is certain, and is stated bysnear-
" all writer's on the subject in mod
ern times.
Herodotus, the Greek historian,
who lived in the fifth century, B. c.,
made particular note of this plant in
India, referring to the beauty and
usefulness of the "feeces of, its
fruit" as surprising those of '1amb's
WOOL" and also as an article of
clothing for the people. u
In 1919 when Cortez first visited
the great Montezuma in his capital
city of Mexico, he was presented
with a princely gift of immense val
ue, a part of. which consisted OF
loads of finely wrought cotton" and
when the 'Spaniards were finally re-
ceived into the royal presence, sat
tendants strewed the ground with
cotton tapestry that his imperial feet
might not be contaminated by the
rude soil.'".-. The cotton hangings in
their quarters were the wonder and
admiration of these adventurous SOL
diers.. The common people wore cot
ton shirts and Montezuma's "great
square cloak made Of finest cotton
and sprinkled with jewels" still lives
in the pages of his chroniclers.
From early records, it will be seen
that cotton was grown abundantly in
Mexico previous to the advent of the
Spaniard; that its uses and manufac-
ture were we'll understood by the
Aztecs; that the Indians roaming ov-
er the unduIating prairies of Texas
were blanketed and clad in garments
of cotton, and that this plant also
was found growing wild in Florida
and elsewhere in the South" These
facts would indicate that it is not as
suming too much for America to as
sert that cotton is indigenous to the
tropical and semi-tropical portions OF
this continent. The cotton which
has become known to the civilized
world since the discovery of Ameri-
ca consists Of two great divisions.
The G. Barbadense, a black-seeded