If a lot of cotton is to be classed, samples are drawn from every bale, these are placed together, sample by sample, and the total thus gained, is compared with the standard. In this way an opinion is formed, whether the cotton is equal to the class represented by the standard, or whether it is below it, in which case, this difference in class has to be valued. The judging of the staple is a very difficult task, 1/2 mm is of importance, and yet it is impossible to measure staple correctly. Anybody, even with the greatest dexterity in his fingers, will not be able to draw from a piece of cotton the single fibres, place them in such a way next to each other, that they appear like Swedish matches in a box. A good expert, however, is able to draw the staple in a manner, that the average length will be accurately judged. To give a correct opinion on cotton, rooms with a good light are required, much experience and good judgment. Next in importance for continental consumption is Egyptian and East Indian cotton. The former is divided into two kinds, the long stapled, which grows on the lower Nile, the Delta, and the shorter stapled, Upper Egyptian cotton. The long stapled Egyptian is utilised for the very finest yarns, and its only rival is or was Sea-Island cotton. This latter grows on a group of islands, not far from the shore of Georgia which have a moist warm climate, but the boll-weevil has played serious havoc with that crop, and the cultivation has been greatly curtailed. East India produces shorter stapled descriptions of great variety, but each has a character of its own, and yet to differentiate between them, is a knotty problem, especially, as now and then, one comes across a somewhat fraudulent mixture. The names are mostly derived from the locality in which they grow, while the climate and condition of the ground give the character, and in some cases, even distinctive smell, for instance, Oomra cotton smells like musk; occasionally the smell is an indisputable proof of origin. It has taken the continental cotton industry a long time to grow from small beginnings to its present importance. The never lacking competition has brought about a great improvement in the quality and variety of the articles produced. It is astounding to compare the raw material in the fields, with the finished articles in the windows of some lady's outfitting shop. It requires many diligent hands and high class technical guidance, to transfer Nature's present of raw cotton into the manifold articles, which the people, nowadays, require and desire.