What was the tree-wool of India?
By Chelsie Vandaveer
February 19, 2002
Also Sponsored By: Spring Hill Nursery—>Click here.
killerPlants Tendrils: ~~1~~2~~3~~4~~5~~
Suggested Reading – Plus: Three-Seasons of Beauty Garden—>Click here.
Rose of Sharon, Mallow, Hollyhocks & Hibiscus—>Click here.
Cotton is the single most common textile in modern life. But it was the last of the natural plant fibers to become commercially important in Europe and America. Cotton fabric was labor-intensive; the fibers needed separating from the seed, combing, spinning, and
weaving.
The plant became commercially viable in the mid-1700s. The invention of Hargreaves' jenny (1764) and Arkwright's spinning frame (1769) mechanized the spinning of cotton thread. Whitney's cotton gin that separated the seed from the fiber came in 1793.
Long before the 'Western World' discovered cotton, India had a thriving cotton textile industry. The earliest reference to India's cotton (Gossypium arboreum Linnaeus) [gos sip' ee um ar bor' ee um] dates to 1500 BC. A thousand years later, the Greek historian Herodotus wrote, "there are trees which grow wild there, the fruit whereof is a wool exceeding in beauty and goodness that of sheep. The natives make their clothes of the tree-wool." Indian cotton grows to 10 feet (3 meters).
Alexander the Great introduced cotton fabrics to Greece in the Fourth Century BC. With the trade routes open, India provided cotton textiles to Greece, Rome, Persia, and Egypt. Greek and Roman ships used Indian cotton sails; marketplaces and pavilions were shaded with cotton awnings. Cotton muslins and calicoes joined linen and wool providing the clothing of both nobles and slaves.
Cotton never caught on in Europe until sea routes opened trade with the East Indies. India had developed and controlled the cotton fabric industry for 3,000 years. The discovery of Central American cottons, control of colonies that could grow the plants, and the mechanized textile factories of Great Britain broke India's trade.
Stewart R. Hinsley has posted photographs of Gossypium arboreum. To view his photographs, click on the link:
http://www.meden.demon.co.uk/Malvaceae/Gossypium/gallery.html
killerPlants Tendrils: ~~1~~2~~3~~4~~5~~
Suggested Reading:
Where do marshmallows come from? Herbal Folklore - July 8, 2002
Caesarweed (Urena lobata Linnaeus) Plant of the Week - October 25, 2004
What was the cotton of Kush? Plants that Changed History - February 26, 2002
What is the Mayan cotton tale? Plants that Changed History - March 12, 2002
What are the African connections to American cotton? Plants that Changed History - March 5, 2002
Three-Seasons of Beauty Garden
Springhill Nursery®
We asked our garden experts at Spring Hill to take a typical 12'x12' bed and show how it could be planted with perennials and shrubs to provide a continuous display of floral and foliage color from spring, all through summer, and until the hard frosts of fall-and here's the impressive result! It's an easy-to-adapt idea that will give any area of approximately 140 sq. ft. (10'x14') around your home a truly professional look-with a minimum of work and without a serious drain in your pocketbook.
This spectacular parade of color starts in spring and continues all through summer and into the fall. The Fantasia Mums are not like regular Cushion Mums you buy from local garden centers, which die off after flowering. The Fantasia Mums are extra free-flowering and sufficiently hardy to come back again each year. The shrubs in this selection are also special-a Variegated Weigela for color that starts in spring and continues all season, a Forever Pink Dwarf Hydrangea for summer, and a Dwarf Burning Bush that colors-up in autumn.
—>Click here for $20 off your first order at Spring Hill Nursery!
[More Gardens...]
|
|
Helene Rose of Sharon (White)
Springhill Nursery®
Hibiscus syriacus 'Helene' – Pruned as a small tree, set in a border or grown alone as a stunning focal point, Helene's glistening white blooms with deep burgundy central flares make a big bold statement. In midsummer, after early perennials have lost their luster, these abundant blooms go on and on for four months or more! Grows 6-8' tall with a similar spread. Zone 4 to 9.
—>Click here for $20 off your first order at Spring Hill Nursery!
[More Shrubs...]
|
|
|
Prairie Mallow
Henry Fields Seed and Nursery®
Combines rich color, lasting quality--an ideal summer cutting flower, 30 in. tall. Unlike regular hollyhocks, doesn't need staking. Prefers full to partial sun. Potted plants. Zone 4 to 9.
Click here for $20 off any order of $50 or more at Henry Fields Seed and Nursery Co!
[More Perennials...]
On Sale...]
|
|
|
Hollyhocks, Country Mix
Springhill Nursery®
Alcea rosea – Classic single-flowered hollyhocks in a striking mix of colors: mahogany, rose, pink, apricot, yellow, ivory. 4-6' stems covered with 3-5" blooms mid-summer to early fall. Space 2-3' apart. #1 field-grown plants. Deer tend to avoid. Zones 2-8.
Click here for $20 off your first order at Spring Hill Nursery!
[More Hollyhocks...]
[On Sale...]
|
|
|
Hibiscus Mix, 'Galaxy'
Springhill Nursery®
Hibiscus moscheutos hybrids 'Galaxy' – These huge, saucer to funnel-shaped blossoms on tall, upright plants are sure to be the stars of your summer landscape! Our brightly colored mix of winter hardy bibiscus grows to 4' or more in height, making a spectacular display at the back of a border; or even in a large pot on a patio. Enormous flowers up to 10" across in shades of red, pink and white keep coming all summer long, attracting butterflies all the while.
|
|
Plant this vigorous, hardy perennial now for blooms this summer, then watch for an even greater show next season! Space plants 36-40" apart. Zones 5-10.
—>Click here for $20 off your first order at Spring Hill Nursery!
[More Hibiscus...]
[More Perennials...]
[On Sale...]
|
| |
killerplants Recommended Seed and Nursery Stores
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 BACK TO TOP
|
|
