Cotton
 

I grew some cotton this Summer. Very easy, very hardy. All the plants are still flowering and making new bolls. It seems readily apparent that cotton has potential to solve a number of hygeine, conveniece and practical issues. It can be made into paper, clean your hindquarters, made into thread, cordage and clothes, add a little nitric and sulphuric acid and well... the seed can even be pressed for oil, it wouldn't be be any good for cooking but it will burn and is a natural insecticide. You get about 35 gallons of the oil per acre. Very useful stuff. If you haven't already you might consider growing some. If you look around you can find long fibered white heirloom cotton. The naturally colored stuff is said to have a shorter fiber.

Re: Cotton
 

Do you have a link to a place that sells the seeds?

Re: Cotton
 

Here's one.

http://heirloomacresseeds.com/CatalogPrd.asp?prm=149

They're actually one of my favorite places to get seed from, they've got a good selection that includes some uncommon stuff.

Re: Cotton
 

Rev

I would love to see your place.

Your inovations and experimants are a forum highlight.

Try to post some pictures if its not to much of a hassle. Charcoal pit is something I'd like to see.

Thanks

E-A

Re: Cotton
 

So Rev's a cotton-pickin' varmint!? :bear_w00t:

I agree with EA... a pic or few of your cotton crops, pond, etc. would be very cool to see. I'm constantly amazed and impressed by the stuff you grow and produce. Well done, Rev!

Re: Cotton
 

How far north can it be grown?

Re: Cotton
 

Cotton is grown from 45 degrees North latitude to 30 degrees South, so basically anywhere from the Canadian border on down to about the Brazil/Uruguay border. You need about 160 frost free days and it takes something over two monts for the bolls to open up. If you have a shorter growing season you might be able to get by with cold frames, the cotton plants, mine anyway, are under two feet tall. As it works out chances are really good any cotton you grow or even have is actually from cotton species native to the Americas.

Re: Cotton
 

Are small hand crank cotton gins still available?

Also, as to how far north it can be grown, I don't know, but I found out that tobacco used to be grown in northern Illinois by the native Indians. I thought it could only be grown in the south.

Does anybody know why tobacco was so important to the Indians? I have heard it repels mosquitos better than wood smoke. Anybody know?

SB

Re: Cotton
 

This site has a gin kit. Looks simple enough you should be able to copy it from the diagram.

http://www.eliwhitney.org/cottonkit.htm

The cotton gin is really intended for short staple cotton though, like colored cotton. If you're growing long staple white cotton you might want to look into the East Indian churka gin instead.

http://www.swcgrl.ars.usda.gov/rolergin.htm

http://www.fashion-incubator.com/mt/...otton_gin.html

At the county fair I saw a living history demo of a woman spinning directly from the boll.

Re: Cotton
 

Re: Cotton
 

I have heard that too, I also know it is a good insecticide, from what I have read.

Re: Cotton
 

It's nice to smoke it, too. :smokin:

Re: Cotton
 

I sure miss these conversations with rev...

Re: Cotton
 

+1

Please post if possible.


T

Re: Cotton
 

Yep. Rev was a goldmine of information. Good people, too. Hope he's doing well....