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In this article we will discuss about:- 1. History of Cotton 2. Types of Cotton 3. Cultivation 4. Industry 5. Marketing 6. Uses.
Contents:
- History of Cotton
- Types of Cotton
- Cultivation of Cotton
- Cotton Industry
- Cotton Marketing
- Uses of Cotton
1. History of Cotton:
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The history of cotton (Gossypium sp.) is most interesting, and perhaps no more remarkable example of a sudden development exists in the whole history of Economic Products, than in the case of cotton. Only a few hundred years ago cotton and its products were practically unknown to the civilized nations of the West.
However, evidences exist amongst certain of the aboriginal tribes of India which indicate a much more ancient knowledge of the plant. For example, the Khonds grow a cotton-bush in the place selected for a new settlement, and in after years the village plant is tended as sacred and carefully watered.
This custom is probably of very ancient origin, and may denote a superstitious regard for the plant, probably derived from the knowledge and appreciation of its valuable properties.
The Sanskrit word translated ‘cotton’ is perhaps first mentioned in the Institutes of Manu, where it is stated that, “the sacrificial thread of a Brahman must be made of cotton, so as to be put on over his head in three strings.” The word used in that passage and translated cotton is Karpasi from which has been derived, the Kapas.
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However, it is certain that at the time of Institutes of Manu spinning and weaving were not only known, but the art of starching or weighing a textile was also practised, and the admissible amount prescribed. A still earlier notice of the process of starching probably occurs in the Rigveda.
The picture thus raised of the character of the textile industries of India, some two thousand years ago. Institutes of Manu also deal with the regulations concerning washer-man.
We are thus led to believe that the arts of spinning, weaving and washing were perfectly understood in the East, at a time when the textile industries of the West, through ignorance of cotton, were in a much more backward condition.
Katan is an old Arabic word for flax, but may also have been used for cotton, since it apparently gave origin to the European words such as Cotton {Eng.) Cotone (Itai), Cotn (Fr.), etc. In Greek the word Karpason is generally translated cotton. It is significant to mention that, with writers at the beginning of the Christian era, it was customary to speak of cotton and cotton goods by names not in use prior to that date.
Herodotus is perhaps the first who seems to refer to the fibre. But perhaps the first unmistakable reference to cotton is by Theophrastus, subsequent to the expedition of Alexander into India. He mentions, that the plant was cultivated, at least in North-western India, at that early date.
The muslins of Dacca seem also to have been known. They are described as superior to all others, and are said to have been called gangitiki by the Greeks, a name indicative of their manufacture on the banks of the Ganges.
The knowledge of the manufacture of cotton appears to have extended into Arabia and Persia about the beginning of the Christian era. From India, there is no doubt, the cultivation of cotton spread into Persia, Arabia and Egypt, from where it probably extended into Central and Western Africa.
From Persia the culture migrated into Syria and Asia Minor, also into Turkey in Europe and thereafter into other parts of southern Europe.
The earliest account of its cultivation on the European shores, is to be found in the works of Eben el Awan of Seville who lived in the twelfth century.
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In the new world, we find that cotton has probably been used from the earliest times. It is connected with some of the most ancient beliefs of the aboriginal peoples of South America. Columbus found cotton in use among the natives of Hispaniola, but only in the most primitive way. Cortez found the manufacture in a much more advanced condition in Mexico.
With the rise of Muhammadanism the knowledge of spinning and weaving cotton probably spread to Europe, consequently the delicate cotton fabrics of the East were first imitated in Italy and Spain during the twelfth or thirteenth century.
From these localities the art of cotton manufacture became diffused and extensively established all along the southern shores of the Mediterranean, but it was confined to that area till sixteenth century.
From the low countries the industry passed over to England in the seventeenth century. Towards the end of the seventeenth century cotton printing was established in England. Up to the commencement of the nineteenth century America contributed but a very insignificant portion of the cotton was consumed.
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At the close of the war in 1815, the production of cotton in America received a fresh impetus, and the subsequent progress was rapid and continuous.
This great increase in the importance of America, as a cotton-growing country early led the East India Company to commence operation for the purpose of improving the quality and increasing the quantity of Indian cotton for export to England. The imports into Great Britain from India during the years 1800 to 1809 averaged 12,700 bales per annum.
This is the world’s greatest industrial crop, the chief fibre plant. It was known to the ancient world long before written records were made. References to it are to be found in the works of the Greek and Roman writers. Cotton has been in the use in India since 1800 B.C., and from 1500 B.C. to A.D. 1500 India was the centre of the industry.
The Hindus were the first people to weave cloth. Cotton was introduced into Europe by the Mohammedans. This was first grown in the United States soon after the first settlements were made. The first cotton mill was established in 1787.
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All the cultivated cottons fall under four species, two belonging to the Old World and two to the New World. These are Gossypium arboreum, G. herbaceum; G. hirsutum, and G. barbadense.
G. Arboretum:
This is most widespread of all the species of Old World cottons, being distributed throughout the rain-fed savannah areas from Africa, through Arabia and India, to China, Japan and E. Indies. Its origin is obscure, but it is obviously Asian, since the area of its greatest variability is found around the Bay of Bengal.
This species comprises a large number of varieties and races including many of the cultivated cottons in and around India. The staple is coarse and very short, only 3/8 to 3/4 inch in length, but it is strong.
G. Herbaceum:
This is also an Old World species. It occurs in Africa, Middle East countries. Central Asia and Western India. It has been grown in India from time immemorial. Commercially the cottons belonging to this species constitute a fairly large percentage of medium staple cotton grown in India. The major part of the cotton crop in Maharashtra state comprises this species. This species comprises a large number of cultivated races.
It is utilized for low-quality fabrics, carpets, and blankets and is especially suitable for blending with wool.
G. Hirsutum:
This is a New world species. The centre of variability for this species is Central America. It comprises a large number of varieties or races. Only three races—punctatum, marie galante and latifoliam—extend beyond Central America. The last one is of great importance agriculturally, as it comprises the Upland cotton, which has spread over vast areas in America, Asia and Africa.
The types of cotton belonging to this race constitute the bulk of long staple cottons grown at present in India. The fibres are white with a considerable range in staple length, from 5/8 to 13/8 inch.
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G. Barbadense:
This is a New World species. It includes perennial shrubs or small trees, 3- 15 feet high, or annual shrub moderately high. The centre of origin of this group is tropical South America particularly its north-western parts.
2. Types of Cotton:
Two distinct types of cotton belong to:
Sea-Island Cotton:
This is one of the most important selections which yields lint of perhaps the highest quality which the genus Gossypium has so far proved capable of yielding. Its fine, strong, light cream-coloured fibres are more regular in the number and uniformity of the twists and have silkier appearance than those of other cottons. Sea-island cotton was brought to the United States from the West Indies in 1785.
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The finest types yielded staples 2 in. or more in length, surpassing all the others in strength and firmness. Another form of sea-island cotton is grown along the coast in Georgia and Florida and in the West Indies and South America. This has a staple form 1½ to 1¾ in. in length.
Egyptian Cotton:
The second important line of annual types derived from the perennial stock is the Egyptian cotton. Egyptian cotton is derived from a hybrid stock between a perennial G. barbadense and the annual sea island cotton. It is ecologically quite distinct from sea island cotton and is well adapted for irrigated conditions in the subtropics.
Its practical value lies in its greater earliness. Some of the important commercial types at present in cultivation are Karnak, Menoui, Ashmuni, and Giza. The lint length of these cotton ranges from 1⅛ in. (Ashmuni) to 1½ in (Karnak).
Considerable quantities of these Egyptian types are imported every year into India for supplementing indigenous long staple cotton supplies. Besides Egypt, significant quantities of this cotton are produced in Sudan, U.S.A., Peru, French North Africa and Russia.
Because of its staple’s length, strength and firmness this cotton is used for thread, underwear, hosiery, tire fabrics and fine dress goods.
3. Cultivation of Cotton:
Cotton is essentially a tropical crop, but its cultivation is carried on successfully over many parts of the world, far removed from the tropics. The limits of cultivation may be said to be the 40th latitude on both sides of the Equator.
It is grown either at sea level or at moderate elevations not exceeding 3,000 feet. Cultivation is confined largely to flat open country and rough hilly tracts, where the minimum temperature does not fall below 70°F.
Higher temperatures are very favourable, and the upper limit may go up even to 105°F in the picking season. The crop thrives well in moderate rainfall. Rainfall exceeding 35 inches is supposed to be harmful to the crop. The lower limit for a purely rain-fed crop is 20 inches.
On black cotton soils, hardly any rainfall is needed over most of the growing period provided good showers have been received before the crop was sown and a satisfactory start has been made.
Cotton is grown both as a dry crop and as an irrigated crop. If the rainfall is distributed over both the monsoons, the extraordinary fertility of the black cotton soil allows a wide variety of crops to be grown, and also taking of two crops in the year—one in the north-east monsoon period, and the other in the southwest monsoon period.
On the other hand, if the rainfall is low and is confined to the north-east monsoon period, the only one crop is grown in the year. There is considerable mixed cropping practice with cotton. Pulses such as arhar, black-gram and green-gram and other crops such as groundnut and the castor, into the mixture. The ‘New World’ cottons are, however, grown pure— whether as dry crops or as irrigated crops.
4. Cotton Industry:
Several operations are necessary in order to prepare the raw cotton fibre, as it comes from the field, for use in the textile industry. In brief these operations are as follows—ginning; baling; transporting to the mills; picking, a process in which a machine removes any foreign matter and delivers the cotton in a uniform layer; lapping, an operation whereby three layers are combined into one; carding, combing, and drawing during which the short fibres are extracted and the others are straightened and evenly distributed; and finally twisting the fibres into thread.
Harvest and Yield:
The cotton crop is usually harvested in three or four pickings, taken at suitable intervals. Picking is carried out by hand, mostly by women, the amount of cotton collected ranging from 20 to 50 lb. per day ppr person. Cotton should be picked only when the bolls are fully mature, fully open and the floss has puffed up consequent on exposure to sun.
The yield per acre is low in India as compared to yield in other countries.
5. Cotton Marketing:
The bulk of cotton produced in India is sold as Kapas or unginned cotton. Kapas is transported to the local markets or ginneries mainly in carts or, sometimes, on pack animals. The cultivator sells his cotton in the village market.
The purchasers are village merchants, or agents of ginneries, spinning mills or exporting firms. In some states, co-operative societies organized by cultivators have taken up the purchase and sale of the cotton.
Ginning:
Kapas or seed cotton collected from the field contains both lint and seed. For use in industry, cotton should be cleaned and the lint separated from the seed. A small amount of seed cotton is ginned in villages by the use of charkha gin. The bulk of it, however, is ginned in factories by power-driven machinery. The yield and quality of lint depend on the type of cotton and the machinery used for ginning.
Baling:
Cotton is packed for trade purposes both in loose and compressed bales. Loose packing is adopted for inland transit of ginned cotton to a pressing factory, while compressed packing is adopted for transporting ginned cotton to the market and for storing in the godowns. Each loose bale contains 200 to 300 lb. of cotton. The usual weight of compressed bale is 392 lb. net with density of 40 lb. per cubic foot.
6. Uses of Cotton:
The bulk of cotton production is consumed in the manufacture of woven goods, alone or in combination with other fibres. The principal types of woven fabrics are—print cloth, yam fabrics, sheetings, fine cotton goods, napped fabrics, duck, tyre fabrics and towels. Products in the form of yam and cord include unwoven tyre cord, thread, cordage and twine and crochet yams.
Unspun cotton finds use in mattresses, pads and upholsteries. Cotton constitutes one of the basic raw materials for cellulose industries including plastics, rayon and explosives. Sterilized absorbent cotton finds use in medical and surgical practice.
Yarns of varying size and fineness are needed in the production of fabrics. Coarse yarns are spun from short staple cottons and fine one from medium and long staple types. Long and uniform staples are utilized for yarns of high counts required for fine fabrics.
Cotton waste is a by-product of the spinning and weaving mills and consists principally of short fibres rejected by combing and carding machines, floor sweepings, odds and ends from weaving and various scraps.
The amount of waste given by cotton is an important factor in its quality evaluation. Cotton waste of good grade is employed in making cotton blankets, sheets, towels and flannelettes. Cylindrical strips from carding machine, which are constituted of fibres of good strength, are used for warps, twines, ropes and nets; they are also useful for wadding, padding for upholstery, bed quilts; etc.
Strips from Egyptian cottons are mixed with wool for making mixed woollen goods. Floor sweeping and fibres unfit for spinning are bleached and used for gun-cotton, cellulose and artificial silk. Short remnants and thread waste that cannot be respun are used as wiping and polishing material.
The stalks of plant contain a fibre that can be used in paper making or for fuel, and the roots possess a crude drug. The seeds are of the greatest importance and every portion is utilized.
The hulls are used for stock feed; as fertilizer; for lining oil wells; as a source of xylose, a sugar that can be converted into alcohol and for many other purposes. The kernels yield one of the most important fatty oils, cottonseed oil and an oil cake and meal which are used for fertilizer, stock feed, flour, and as a dyestuff.
