The Improvement of Luster of Cotton

Abstract

The entire range of American cotton production has been examined for correlation of luster with other fiber properties over two crop years. This has been possible through the cooperation of the Division of Cotton and other Fiber Crops of the Bureau of Plant Industry, U.S.D.A. which provided the yarns and the fiber data. Luster is shown to be a varietal characteristic, although also influenced by environmental factors. The strongest correlations are of higher luster with greater length, greater strength, and greater roundness. American-Egyptian types, experimental triple hybrids, and Hopi Acala 50 are each different in the relation of fiber properties to luster. All the rest of the cottons, that is, the main Upland group, whether rain grown or irrigated, or long staple, show a uniform general trend of relationships. This trend of relations offers a guide to both spinners and breeders who may wish to select cotton for greater luster. The selections for luster which are possible within the main crop amount to as much gain in luster as can be obtained by plying. These results are mainly for natural or raw cotton, but the trends remain generally the same after mercerizing, with a tendency for the most lustrous cottons in the natural state to be the ones which gain most on mercerizing.