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Commodity Fact Sheet

Cotton

Information compiled by the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom

How Produced – In early spring seeds are planted one to

three inches deep, by mechanical planters, in seedbeds.

Plants are irrigated, fertilized and weeded, as needed,

during the 25 week growing cycle.

The first true leaves appear after

two to four weeks with the bud, also

known as a "square," appearing about

five to seven weeks after planting. The

white blossoms become pollinated,

turn light pink and then wither at

about nine weeks, letting the cotton

boll develop, producing the fibers and

seeds that are harvested. The cotton

bolls open naturally over time and a

defoliant chemical is applied by ground

or air to ensure top quality. This helps

the leaves dry and fall off and any

remaining closed bolls to open.

A mechanical cotton harvester

moves through the field picking the

cotton, which is then packed into

truckload sized "modules" and taken

to the gin. The gin separates the

cotton fibers from the seeds. Cleaning

equipment removes twigs and other

debris. The fiber, now called lint, is packed into 500 pound bales

and then transported to textile mills. The cotton is carded or

combed,

making all of the fibers run parallel, and then

spun into thread. Some whole cotton seed is fed to cattle.

Some seed is further processed. The fine "linter" fibers are

removed and the seed is pressed and cooked, producing

cottonseed oil and meal.

Uses – Like lumber, cotton comes in many varieties and

qualities, each suitable for different purposes. The long lint

fibers are used for many things, most of which begin with

a thread, yarn or cotton fabric. Clothing and bedding items

are common products. The smaller cotton fibers, known as

linters, are removed from the seed and are used as stuffing

for furniture and components of linoleum, plastics and

insulation. Cotton seed oil is used in foods and cosmetics.

Cotton seed hulls are eaten by cattle.

History – The oldest cotton fibers and boll fragments, dated

from around 5000 B.C., were discovered in Mexico. In 5

B.C., the Greek historian Herodotus reported of a plant that

“bore fleece.” Cotton has been worn in India and Egypt for

over 5,000 years. Cotton was grown by Native Americans as

early as 1500. In England in the 1700s, it was against the

law to import or manufacture fabric made of cotton since it

was a threat to the sheep and wool industry.

American colonists were able to

grow lots of cotton, but processing

was difficult. It was not until the

1700s that the cotton industry

flourished in the United States. It

was then that Samuel Slater, an

Englishman, built the first American

cotton mill. These mills converted

cotton fibers into yarn and cloth.

In 1793 Eli Whitney developed the

cotton gin, which mechanically

separates the seed from the lint fiber.

Whitney named his machine a "gin,"

short for the word "engine." Technology

has improved over the past centuries

making cotton growth and production

much more efficient.

Varieties – There are five main

cottons varieties grown throughout

the world–Egyptian, American Pima,

Sea Island, Asiatic and Upland. The

most prominent types of cotton grown in California are

Upland, whose fiber lengths are 13/16" to 11/4" in length,

and American Pima, whose fiber lengths are 15/16" to 11/2".

Seventeen states in the nation produce cotton with over 14

million acres of cotton planted annually.

Commodity Value – Cotton is a leading cash crop nationally,

ranking just behind corn, soybeans, wheat and hay. In 2004,

California's crop value was over $796 million. Additionally,

the 2004 value of cottonseed was nearly $131 million.

Top Producing Counties – The majority of cotton is

produced in the cotton belt of the United States, ranging

along the southern part of the nation from California to

Florida and Virginia. In 2004, cotton was produced in 13

California counties from as far north as Glenn County and

as far south as Imperial County. Major production areas are

Fresno, Kings, Kern, and Merced counties.

For

additional information:

National Cotton Council: www.cotton.org

Cotton's Journey: cottonsjourney.com

Square

Flower

Bur

Lint

(seeds inside)

Leaf

Boll

(open)

Boll

(closed)

05/08

This is one in a series of fact sheets composed by the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom (CFAITC). For additional educational

materials: CFAITC, 2300 River Plaza Drive, Sacramento, CA 95833-3293 [phone] (800) 700-AITC Fax: [phone]

E-Mail: [e-mail] Web Site: http://www.cfaitc.org ©2008 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom. All rights reserved.

Cotton Activity Sheet

Cotton Fun Facts

1. How much does a bale of cotton weigh, on average?

2. How many pairs of jeans can be made from one bale of cotton?

3. What do cotton gins do?

4. Who invented the first cotton gin?

5. How can one tell when a cotton flower has been pollinated?

6. Where were the oldest cotton fibers found and how old were

they?

7. What are the tiny fibers around a cotton seed called?

8. What kind of places convert cotton fibers to yarn?

1) A universal density bale weighs between 480 and 500 pounds.

2) 325 3) They separate the seeds from the lint fibers. 4) Eli Whitney

5) The petals turn from white to light pink. 6) Mexico and were 7,000

years old 7) Linters 8) Textile mills

Lesson Ideas

- Examine clothing labels. How many of the clothes contain

cotton? Discuss how cotton is grown and processed into

fabric.

- Sing songs that have a cotton theme–Jump Down, Turn

Around Pick a Bale of Cotton; Way Down There in the Land

of Cotton; In Them Old Cotton Fields Back Home. Research

and discuss the origins of these songs.

- Discuss the history of American cotton. Make a timeline out

of cotton rope that is labeled with key events.

- Write biographical essays on Eli Whitney, and Samuel Slater.

- Create a model of a universal density bale, whose dimensions

are 55" x 21" x 26". Determine its volume and density if

a standard bale is 480-500 pounds.

- Create a bulletin board displaying the many uses of cotton.

Lesson Plan: A Bit of Cotton History

1

$ 1

$

of Cotton; Cotton Bales; Cotton Production in California; The

Cotton Plant; Cotton Fabrics: Cotton's Journey from Field to

Home; other topics of your choosing.

2. Have students explore literature and Web sites to learn

about their cotton topic and record their information. Web

sites may include cottonsjourney.com and www.cotton.org.

3. Students are to create an informative research report on

their topic. Supporting references should be cited and the

document should be revised and proofed for accuracy and

grammar.

4. Have the students take the information they learned and

create a visual display that educates their classmates.

5. Share the displays with the school or public.

Introduction: Today's cotton industry is based upon its unique

past. The plant is grown worldwide, its production created

monumental events in American history, its fibers are woven and

incorporated into thousands of products, and great inventions

were an integral part of the Industrial Revolution. Your

students will create a written and visual display of one aspect of

cotton.

Materials: Access for student use of the Internet and library;

display boards or butcher paper, markers and other supplies of

your choosing.

Procedure:

1. Divide students into teams of two or three. Have each group

select from one of the following topics: Cotton and the Civil

War; Eli Whitney and the Cotton Gin; Samuel Slater and

Cotton Milling; The History of Cotton Songs; The Many Uses

Salad

Dressing

Lint: blouses, shirts, yarn, rugs, pants, rope, money, pajamas, towels, sheets

Debris: tilled into soil, compost

Cotton Seed: planting seed, margarine, cosmetics, cattle feed, soap, salad dressing

Linters: paper, bandages and gauze, cellophane, explosives, linoleum, plastics, insulation

The Many Uses of Cotton

05/08

This is one in a series of fact sheets composed by the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom (CFAITC). For additional educational

materials: CFAITC, 2300 River Plaza Drive, Sacramento, CA 95833-3293 [phone] (800) 700-AITC Fax: [phone]

E-Mail: [e-mail] Web Site: http://www.cfaitc.org ©2008 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom. All rights reserved.