The Story of the Cotton Plant
A Cotton Field in Texas.
In collecting the facts which will be found in this Story of the Cotton plant, the author has of necessity had to consult many books. He is especially indebted to Baines' History of the Cotton Manufacture, French's Life and Times of Samuel Crompton, Lee's Vegetable Lamb of Tartary, Report of the U. S. A. Agricultural Department on The Cotton Plant, and The American Cotton Company's Booklet on the Cylindrical Bale.
Mr. Thornley, spinning master at the Technical School, Bolton, has from time to time offered very important suggestions during the progress of this little work. The author is also deeply indebted to the late Mr. Woods of the Technical School, Bolton, who was good enough to photograph most of the pictures which illustrate this book, and without which it would have been impossible to make the story clear.
Fred. Wilkinson.
Textile and Engineering School, Bolton.
Frederick Wilkinson
THE LIBRARY OF USEFUL STORIES
FREDERICK WILKINSON, F. G. S.
Printed in the United States of America
PREFACE.
THE STORY OF THE COTTON PLANT.
ORIGIN, GROWTH, AND CHIEF CULTIVATED SPECIES OF COTTON PLANT.
COTTON-PLANT DISEASES AND PESTS.
CULTIVATION OF THE COTTON PLANT IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES.
THE MICROSCOPE AND COTTON FIBRE.
PLANTATION LIFE AND THE EARLY CLEANING PROCESSES.
MANIPULATION OF COTTON IN OPENING, SCUTCHING, CARDING, DRAWING, AND FLY-FRAME MACHINES.
EARLY ATTEMPTS AT SPINNING, AND EARLY INVENTORS.
FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS—ARKWRIGHT AND CROMPTON.
THE MODERN SPINNING MULE.
OTHER PROCESSES IN COTTON SPINNING.
DESTINATION OF THE SPUN YARN.
THE END.