THE LIBRARY OF USEFUL STORIES

THE STORY OF THE

COTTON PLANT

BY

FREDERICK WILKINSON, F. G. S.

DIRECTOR OF THE TEXTILE AND ENGINEERING SCHOOL, BOLTON

AND CO-AUTHOR OF ELEMENTS OF COTTON SPINNING

WITH THIRTY-EIGHT ILLUSTRATIONS

NEW YORK AND LONDON

D. APPLETON AND COMPANY

1912

Copyright, 1898, 1902,

By D. APPLETON AND COMPANY.

Printed in the United States of America

PREFACE.

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.

For permission to reproduce Fig. 3, the thanks of the author are due to Messrs. Sampson Low and Co., for Fig. 4, to Messrs. Longmans, Green and Co. For Figs. 5, 8, 9, 13, and 36, to Messrs. Dobson and Barlow, Ltd., Bolton. For Fig. 7, viz., the Longitudinal and Transverse Microphotographs of Cotton Fibre, the author is much indebted to Mr. Christie of Mark Lane, London, who generously photographed them especially for this work. For Fig. 23, I am obliged to Mr. A. Perry, Bolton.

Textile and Engineering School,
Bolton.

CONTENTS.