Cotton
field of cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. Under natural conditions, the cotton bolls will tend to increase the dispersion of the seeds.
The plant is a shrub native to tropical and subtropical regions around the
world, including the Americas, Africa, and India. The greatest diversity of wild
cotton species is found in Mexico, followed by Australia and Africa. Cotton was
independently domesticated in the Old and New Worlds. The English name derives
from the Arabic (al) qutn قُطْن, which began to be used circa 1400 AD. The
Spanish word, "algodón", is likewise derived from the Arabic.
The fiber is most often spun into yarn or thread and used to make a soft,
breathable textile. The use of cotton for fabric is known to date to prehistoric
times; fragments of cotton fabric dated from 5000 BC have been excavated in
Mexico and the Indus Valley Civilization (modern day Pakistan and some parts of
India). Although cultivated since antiquity, it was the invention of the cotton
gin that so lowered the cost of production that led to its widespread use, and
it is the most widely used natural fiber cloth in clothing today.
cotton harvester
Current estimates for world production are about 25 million tonnes or 110 million bales annually, accounting for 2.5% of the world's arable land. China is the world's largest producer of cotton, but most of this is used domestically. The United States has been the largest exporter for many years. In the United States, cotton is usually measured in bales, which measure approximately 0.48 cubic meters (17 cubic feet) and weigh 226.8 kilograms (500 pounds).
Text from Wikipedia
placing cotton in round bails
harvester creating large square bails
