Cultivation and collection of cotton. Growing cotton (cotton plant)

The cotton harvest is in full swing in Uzbekistan now. Whichever city you leave, just a few kilometers away you will see fields of dry shrubs covered with cotton wool. Last Saturday I left Tashkent in the direction of Samarkand in order to take pictures of the cleaning process.

A little general information for those who, like me before my trip to Uzbekistan, had never seen how cotton grows.

Cotton grows in the fields on small bushes about waist-high.

In simple terms, these are just pieces of cotton wool on the branches.

Before harvesting, no water is supplied to the fields. Therefore, the cotton dries up. The "cotton wool" itself matures in the so-called box. In this photo, the box has cracked and opened (possibly in the reverse order).

But I picked this box personally. It was green and completely enclosed.

There were some adventures that day.

I left Tashkent and about 10 km from the city stopped near a large cotton field, where just a bunch of people worked. I went to the field and only had time to ask a couple of questions to the guys who worked there, and to take a few shots, a man came up to me and said that it is strictly forbidden to take pictures of the cotton harvest. I asked who I was and what I was doing here. I said everything as it is - they say a tourist, I photograph. A minute later, another man came up and introduced himself as the owner of the field, said that this is private property, you cannot take pictures and he calls the police. I called on my mobile, two more arrived - one in civilian clothes, the other in uniform. The one in uniform showed his ID and identified himself as a precinct. They started asking if I had permission, why I was taking pictures, and so on. They even said that now they would take me to the prosecutor's office :) But I know that I have not done anything particularly criminal and I have nothing to fear. They stood and talked, they talked for a long time among themselves in Uzbek, the district police officer called someone on his mobile for a long time. As a result, they asked to remove the four frames that I did. And they said that without official permission they could not allow me to take pictures. That permission must be obtained from the khokimiyat of the Tashkent region (such as the mayor's office or administration in Russian) from some Rustam-aka. Moreover, the man who advised me to do this asked me not to say in the hakimiyat that he had sent me. Why it was forbidden to take pictures of the cotton harvest, he did not know. All this lasted no more than half an hour, and ended with the fact that one of them gave me a lift to the taxi rank so that I could leave for Tashkent. But I did not go to Tashkent, but to the next field, where no one forbade filming.

The problem is that schoolchildren pick cotton in some fields in Uzbekistan.

For about 2 weeks a year, every day they go to the fields outside of school. It would seem that what's wrong with this - well, the kids will work with their hands, they will stay on fresh air- will be healthier. In the end, we, Russian schoolchildren, were also sent to weed carrots in summer practice at school, and I remember this fun time only with good feelings, and curricula can be redistributed. But all human rights defenders use this as an opportunity to reproach Uzbekistan for using child labor... Therefore, organizers of cleaning do not like people with cameras very much. Be that as it may, no one forbade me to take pictures in the neighboring field.

The field size is 2.5 hectares. Those who pick cotton, I counted about 30 of them, no more than 3 men, about 8 children, the rest are women.

Women cover their faces with headscarves. Firstly, protecting from the sun, and secondly, to breathe less dust from dry land.

The collected cotton is folded into such a knot, which is tied to the belt.

When it’s full enough, it’s comfortable to sit on.

This woman had picked 118 kilograms of cotton the previous day. Collectors are paid 130 sum for 1 kilogram. That is, last day the woman earned about 15 thousand soums, which is about $ 6 at the current exchange rate.

I picked one bush and got this many. The leaves and boll are dry and thorny, so you need to work with gloves.

It is planned to harvest 120 tons of cotton from this field. So far we have collected only 20.

As I said, children help their parents and do not look tortured and oppressed.

Mother with daughter.

With my daughter and son.

Write down the address where the photos should be sent. I do this a lot - I print photos and then send them by regular mail. Sometimes this is the only way to persuade a person to take a photo.

The funny thing is how children change their faces when you photograph them. I took this picture unexpectedly for the boy.

And for the next, he had already managed to prepare - stood at attention and assumed a serious expression. By the way, this is done not only by children, but also by many adults.

The harvested cotton is carried to the trailer.

So much has been collected today.

Weigh it.

And write down the results in a notebook.

(35 photos total)

1. Some general information for those who, like me, had never seen cotton grow before the trip to Uzbekistan.

2. Cotton grows in the fields on small bushes about waist-high.

3. To put it simply, these are just pieces of cotton wool on the branches.

5. Before harvesting, no water is supplied to the fields. Therefore, the cotton dries up. The "cotton wool" itself matures in the so-called box. In this photo, the box has cracked and opened (possibly in the reverse order).

7. But I picked this box personally. It was green and completely enclosed.

8. There were some adventures that day.

I left Tashkent and about 10 km from the city stopped near a large cotton field, where just a bunch of people worked. I went to the field and only had time to ask a couple of questions to the guys who worked there, and to take a few shots, a man came up to me and said that it is strictly forbidden to take pictures of the cotton harvest. I asked who I was and what I was doing here. I said everything as it is - they say a tourist, I photograph. A minute later, another man came up and introduced himself as the owner of the field, said that this is private property, you cannot take pictures and he calls the police. I called on my mobile, two more arrived - one in civilian clothes, the other in uniform. The one in uniform showed his ID and identified himself as a precinct. They started asking if I had permission, why I was taking pictures, and so on. They even said that now they would take me to the prosecutor's office 🙂 But I know that I didn’t do anything particularly criminal and I have nothing to fear. They stood and talked, they talked for a long time among themselves in Uzbek, the district police officer called someone on his mobile for a long time. As a result, they asked to remove the four frames that I did. And they said that without official permission they could not allow me to take pictures. That permission must be obtained from the khokimiyat of the Tashkent region (such as the mayor's office or administration in Russian) from some Rustam-aka. Moreover, the man who advised me to do this asked me not to say in the hakimiyat that he had sent me. Why it was forbidden to take pictures of the cotton harvest, he did not know. All this lasted no more than half an hour, and ended with the fact that one of them gave me a lift to the taxi rank so that I could leave for Tashkent. But I did not go to Tashkent, but to the next field, where no one forbade filming.

9. The problem is that schoolchildren pick cotton in some fields in Uzbekistan.

For about 2 weeks a year, every day they go to the fields outside of school. It would seem that what is wrong with this - well, the kids will work with their hands, they will be in the fresh air - they will be healthier. In the end, we, Russian schoolchildren, were also sent to weed carrots in summer practice at school, and I remember this fun time only with good feelings, and curricula can be redistributed. But all human rights activists use this as an opportunity to reproach Uzbekistan for using child labor. Therefore, organizers of cleaning do not like people with cameras very much. Be that as it may, no one forbade me to take pictures in the neighboring field.

10. Field size - 2.5 hectares. Those who pick cotton, I counted about 30 of them, no more than 3 men, about 8 children, the rest are women.

11. Women cover their faces with headscarves. Firstly, protecting from the sun, and secondly, to breathe less dust from dry land.

13. The collected cotton is folded into such a knot, which is tied to the belt.

15. When it is full enough, it is comfortable to sit on.

17. I picked one bush and got this much. The leaves and boll are dry and thorny, so you need to work with gloves.

18. It is planned to harvest 120 tons of cotton from this field. So far we have collected only 20.

19. As I said, children help their parents and do not look tortured and oppressed.

20. Mom and daughter.

21. With my daughter and son.

22. Write down the address where the photos should be sent. I do this a lot - I print photos and then send them by regular mail. Sometimes this is the only way to persuade a person to take a photo.

23. The funny thing is how children change their faces when you photograph them. I took this picture unexpectedly for the boy.

24. And for the next one he had already managed to prepare - stood at attention and assumed a serious expression on his face. By the way, this is done not only by children, but also by many adults.

Section 1. History and basic properties of cotton.

Cotton — this is vegetable fiber obtained from cotton bolls When the fruit ripens, the cotton boll opens. The fiber together with the seeds - raw cotton - is collected at the cotton collection points, from where it is sent to the ginnery, where the fibers are separated from the seeds. This is followed by the separation of fibers in length: the longest fibers from 20-55 mm are cotton fiber, and the shorter hairs - lint - are used for the manufacture of cotton wool, as well as for the production of explosives.

History and basic properties cotton

The first tool for cleaning cotton from seeds in India was the so-called "chock", consisting of two rollers, the upper one being stationary, and the lower one rotating with a handle. Cotton with seeds is fed between the rollers, the roller grabs the fiber and pulls it to the other side, and the seeds that cannot pass between the rollers break off and fall in front. In this operation, two or three shift workers could peel no more than 6-8 kg of pure cotton per day. Therefore, large and cheap cotton production was out of the question.

In 1792, the sawing machine, or the sawing cotton-gin of Eli Whitney, was invented, which significantly accelerated and cheapened this work (with the same 2-3 workers, as with the "chock", first hundreds, and then one and a half thousand and more than kg per day with one machine, depending on the number of saws, that is, by the size of the machine and by the engine driving the machine into work, as the driving force in which the hands of workers, the power of animals, water, etc. could act.). Since that time, cotton has grown rapidly and universally like no other industry in the world. Cotton is, of course, one of the oldest natural fibers on earth. Cotton history dates back to antiquity and begins, apparently, around 12,000 BC. cotton products were found in a cave near the Mexican Hamlet Teuakan. Articles date back to around 5800 BC.

It is known that one of the first cotton began to grow, and in India... One of the first cotton fabrics, woven around 3250-2750 BC, were discovered in the Indian province of Mohenjo-Daro. In recent excavations in Pakistan, fragments of cotton cloth and cotton rope from 3000 BC have been found in the Indus Valley. There were also found in Pakistan, cottonseed, which was 9000 liters. According to Indian beliefs, cotton is a gift from heaven. One of the hymns, the Rig Veda "glorifies threads on a loom. From these threads the beds are made of gods. After they sleep on the beds of these gods, they are kinder and merciful to people.

In 445 BC. e. Herodotus reports on the production of cotton fabrics in India: "There are wild trees that, instead of the fruits of growing hair, beauty and high quality wool obtained from sheep. The Indians wear this wood wool.

Theophrastus (370-287 BC. E.) Greek philosopher and naturalist, to some extent highlighted the issue of cotton cultivation: “The trees from which the Indians make cloth are leaves, like mulberries, but in general, similar to those of the wild rose. They planted trees in these lines, so that from a distance they look like a vineyard. "

Nearchus, a military commander in the army of Alexander the Great, reported: “In India there are trees on which wool grows. The locals make its linen by putting on a knee-length shirt, a sheet, wrapped around the shoulders, and a turban. The fabric is made of this wool, thinner and paler than any other. "

The Greek geographer Strabo confirmed the validity of Nearchus' reports and noted that at one time (54-25 BC. E.) Cotton fabrics were produced in Susiana, the Persian provinces on the Persian Gulf.

For India, the first mention of the sale of cotton fabrics made by a Greek writer, merchant sailor and Flavius Arrianom in the 2nd century. In the description of the voyages, he describes sale several Indian cities with the Arabs, and the Greeks, referring to the Arabs as imported goods of chintz fabric (chintz), muslin and other fabrics with floral patterns.

Arab travelers in the 9M century in their notes to confirm the high quality of Indian cotton fabrics, which cannot be compared with the improvement of others. Indian cotton fabrics and admiration in the 13m century, famous traveler Marco Polo.

Much later, around 2640 BC, cotton as a weaving material appeared in China. We also know that until this time, cotton was used as ornamental plant... Development of cotton industry v China develops very slowly, since the main textile fiber since ancient times was considered silk.

At the beginning of the VIII century hlopkotkachestvo appeared in Japan, but soon the production of cotton fabrics in Japan, and stopped there was revived only in the seventeenth century by the Portuguese.

The cultivation of cotton was very early acquaintance in Central Asia, which is the crossroads of the great caravan roads. In 1252 the monk William de Rubrikis, envoy of Louis IX, said that in trade cotton textile trade items and clothes using these fabrics in the Crimea and in the south Russian Federation where they were taken from Central Asia.

Interestingly, long cotton is supplied to Europe only in the form of ready-made fabrics and, therefore, the legend of it as a fabulous creature polurastenii-half-animal, which, after ripening, scissors like a sheep. The cost of cutting fabric in those days was estimated to be a quantity of gold coins equal to its weight. Not surprising, since this is a sign on which to dream of cotton - to business success and prosperity.

However, in the Europe cotton appeared only in 350 BC, when it was delivered from Malaya Asia to Greece. Subsequently, cotton cultivation spread to North Africa, Spain and southern Italy - thanks to the Moors, who are actively cultivated.

An important role in the distribution of cotton in Europe in the Middle Ages, Arabs, conquerors and traders played. According to numerous sources, VIII-IX centuries in Arabia, widely used cotton fabrics. Victory in the 8th century Spain, the Arabs brought cotton processing technology there. In Valencia and corduroy weaving gauze before the expulsion of the Arabs. In the thirteenth century in Barcelona and Granada, there was a significant cotton institution for that time, producing linen and velvet. However, in connection with the expulsion from the Arabs hlopkotkachestvo to Spain fell into decay. From Spain hlopkotkachestvo certain types of fabrics passed in the fourteenth century in Venice and Milan. In the XIV century in Milan, as well as in southern German cities, pompous style, linen fabrics with warp and cotton weft.

After the main distributors of the Arab cotton culture were the Crusaders, which gave a powerful impetus to commercialization goods opening of permanent trade between the cities of Asia Minor and Italy. By the way, the names of all materials (except for the official Latin letters Gossypium are used more algodon and cotton) comes from the Arabic "al-igutum" - the name by which cotton was known in antiquity.

Among the imported goods of cotton to England, it was first mentioned in 1212, but until the 14th century only wicks for lamps were made from it, and until 1773, cotton yarn was used only as a weft. Cotton fabrics have been produced only since 1774. In the same year, it was adopted about their labeling: forgery of a trademark or sale of fabrics with a fake brand of retribution.

In parallel with this, the culture of cotton cultivation developed in the New World: in the Peruvian Republic, cotton fibers were discovered, which date back to 2500 - 1750 BC. It is believed that for the first time in America began to use cotton, where, in the country of the Incas. Growing cotton and living in this area of Guatemala and the Yucatan Peninsula, the Aztecs also actively used cotton in their daily clothes. When Christopher Columbus reached America, he noticed that the Aborigines were using cotton yarn hammocks. The Spanish conquistadors drew attention to the fact that Montezuma was wearing a handmade cloak work cotton.

Thus, according to historical information, Spanish colonists began cultivating cotton as early as 1556 in Florida. However, cotton industry in the United States developed on a large scale until the end of the 18th century. The main thing was "Eli Whithney" - saw the gin. Southern states - Alabama, Louisiana, Tennessee, Arkansas became more - cotton basin. They stopped growing rice and tobacco. Many slaves were recruited to work on the cotton plantations. Cotton is called "King Ottonn" or "White".

In Russian literature, mentions of hlopkotkachestve date back to the reign of Ivan III (1440-1505), when Russian merchants brought from Kafa (Feodosia) "Fly cotton, muslin and paper. With the discovery of the British North Russian Federation and cotton Products from it in the middle of the XVI century, began to arrive in country through Arkhangelsk. However, until the beginning of the 19th century, the production of cotton fabrics in Russian Federation was relatively small, concentrated in certain places such as Astrakhan, Moscow and Vladimir provinces.

Despite the fact that the history of cotton thousands of years ago, a key for the textile industry, this natural material began to play only in the 19th century.

Properties

cotton is a thin, short, soft fluffy fiber. The fiber is somewhat twisted around its axis. Cotton is characterized by a relatively high strength, chemical resistance (it long time does not collapse under the influence of water and light), heat resistance (130-140 ° C), medium hygroscopicity (18-20%) and a small proportion of elastic deformation, as a result of which the cotton trade item is strongly crumpled. The abrasion resistance of cotton is low.

Advantages:

Softness

Good absorbency in warm weather

Ease of coloring

Disadvantages:

Easy to wrinkle

Tends to shrink

Turns yellow in the light.

It is estimated that 300-500 thousand people are poisoned by pesticides on cotton plantations in the world every year, 20 thousand of them die.

Cotton is used for textile processing to produce cotton fabric. Cotton wool is obtained from it, it is used in explosives.

The average cotton yield is 30 t / ha (3 t / ha or 300 t / km²). Maximum 50 c / ha (5 t / ha or 500 t / km²)

Organic cotton is cotton grown from cotton seeds that have not undergone genetic modification, without chemical fertilizers, insecticides and pesticides, i.e. "environmentally friendly" material.

The largest quantities are grown in Turkey, India, China.

V countries The CIS produced 730 thousand tons of cotton. About 40% of the world's cotton exports come from the United States, which produces about 1.2 million tons of this crop per year. Pakistan is also the largest cotton producer.

Cotton (Cotton) is

Fabrics such as chintz, cambric, calico, flannel, satin are made from cotton. These cotton fabrics differ from each other in texture and durability. All of these fabrics are used in the production of bed linen.

100% cotton - this means that the bed linen is made of pure cotton, without impurities or additives. The cotton will not stick to your body, shock or slide on the surface of your bed. Cotton fabrics are good for air permeability and under bed linen made of cotton, you won't be too hot or too cold. To check what your bedding is made of, just pull out the thread and set it on fire - synthetics will give themselves away. Artificial fiber will give black smoke, while natural fiber will give white smoke.

Cotton is a white, brownish-white, yellowish-white or bluish-white fibrous substance that covers the seeds of some plants of the genus Gossypium, the Malvaceae family. Cotton is used to make linen, clothes, decorative, as well as technical fabrics, sewing threads, cords and much more. It is suitable for making not only low-grade, cheap types of harsh gauze and print cloth, but also thin linen, as well as lace and other openwork materials. Cotton is characterized by the length and thickness (“fineness”) of the fiber, as well as the ability to absorb paint.

Whereas, by nature, cotton belongs to perennial tree(lasting about 10 years), when cultivated extensively, it mainly grows as an annual shrub. The cotton flower has five large petals (bright, cream-white, or even color pink), which quickly falls off, leaving capsules, or "cotton bolls", with a teak and hard outer layer. The capsule ruptures when ripe, revealing seeds and masses of white / cream and fluffy fibers. The varieties of Gossypium hirsutum cotton fibers range from about 2 to 3 centimeters in length, while Gossypium barbadense cotton produces long fibers up to 5 centimeters long. Their surface is delicately serrated and intricately intertwined. Cotton was cultivated almost exclusively for its oily seeds and the original fibers growing in them (i.e., strictly speaking, because of the cotton). At normal use, the term "cotton" also makes reference to fibers that produce yarns suitable for use in the weaving industry.

Although cotton is native to tropical countries, cotton production is not limited to the tropics. Indeed, the emergence of new varieties, as well as improvements in cultivation methods, led to the spread of this culture within areas ranging from approximately 47 degrees north latitude (Ukraine) to 32 degrees south (). Although cotton is widely planted in both hemispheres, it remains a sun-loving plant, very vulnerable to low temperatures... Cotton is critically important in some developing countries. Of the 85 countries producing cotton in 2005, 80 were developing countries, 28 of which have been designated by the United Nations among the least developed countries.

Cotton offers superior performance in use, wash, stain removal and high temperature resistance. These properties and the fact that cotton does not change shape make it one of the most suitable fabrics for garment production.

In addition, the most important characteristic of cotton is that it is the only fabric that can withstand process sterilization.

Care of Cotton Trade Items

The care of cotton merchandise depends on the particular finish of the fabric. White kitchen towels and white linens can be washed at 95 ° C in washing machine... Colored linen - at temperatures up to 60 ° C, thin colored linen - at temperatures up to 40 ° C.

For washing white linen, use universal washing powder, for colored linen - soft detergents or powder for colored laundry without bleach. Terry towels and underwear will feel very soft when tumble dried, even without softening agents. However, there is a high risk of shrinkage of trade items, so only use the dryer if recommended by the manufacturer.

Trade items made of cotton fabrics with an ennoble finish must be hung up to dry wet, and then, when they are dry, ironed, putting the thermostat on the “wool” position. However, you can put the thermostat on "cotton", but in this case, the product must first be moistened or use an iron with a humidifier. For ironing thin and transparent fabrics, the thermostat is set to the “silk” position. Of course, it is recommended to try on a patch first to avoid trouble.

If you need to bleach very washed cotton linen, it should be soaked for a day in a solution containing 2 - 3 tablespoons of detergent for cotton fabrics and the same amount of turpentine per 10 liters of water. You can also use another method: soak things in water with a temperature of 30 - 40 ° C with the addition of vinegar (1 teaspoon per 1 liter of water).

Duvet covers should be turned out and shaken out well before washing. Laundry with a high content of grease (tablecloths, napkins, kitchen towels, overalls) it is best to pre-soak and then wash with powder.

If the laundry has turned yellow from time and repeated washings, it can be bleached with the help of special bleaching agents, strictly following the recommendations given in the instructions.

You can use the old in a simple way... On the bucket hot water(60 - 70 ° C) take 2 tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide and 1 tablespoon ammonia... The washed and rinsed laundry is immersed in this solution for 15 - 20 minutes and mixed well. Then the bed linen is rinsed twice, wrung out and dried. Heavily soiled trade items are bleached as follows. Linen, which has a gray tint, is first soaked for 5 - 7 hours in a warm detergent solution, and the dosage of the detergent should be 2 - 3 times higher than normal for washing. Then the laundry is washed in a machine or by hand, and only then is it bleached.

Laundry not very darkened with stains, tea, wine, fruits and berries, it is enough to wash and boil in a solution of a detergent containing chemical bleach. Boiling should be done in an enamel or aluminum cookware, which should not be rust stains otherwise the laundry could be damaged. In the boiling tank, the laundry is laid loosely so that it can be stirred. The washing solution is prepared at the rate of 10 liters of water per 1 kg of dry laundry. The boiling tank should be heated slowly so that the laundry boils in 30-40 minutes, and it is recommended to boil it for 20-30 minutes. After boiling, the laundry should be rinsed several times, gradually decreasing the temperature for rinsing.

To disinfect linen, which is undesirable to boil, you can use bleaches and agents that destroy microbes and pathogens of various diseases. It should be remembered that repeated processing of the fabric with chemical bleaches reduces its strength. Sometimes during washing, a nuisance can happen due to our inattention: stains appear on light laundry - these are traces of faded colored laundry. The situation can be tackled in two ways. Add 3 teaspoons of "jelly water" and a coffee spoon of vinegar to 4 liters of hot water (60 - 70 ° С), mix everything thoroughly and put the painted cloth in this solution for 15 minutes. Then rinse several times, first in warm, then in cold water... This is an old proven recipe and is very effective as long as the recipe is accurate.

Cotton (Cotton) is

"Javel water" was produced on an industrial scale in the Parisian suburb of Javelier since 1789 and was intended for bleaching fabrics. Its composition is similar to TC bleach.

If the laundry is lightly stained, it is enough to fill it hot water with the addition of baking soda and leave for 10 - 12 hours, then wash and rinse several times.

Cotton trade items are very durable, withstands well high temperatures... The peculiarity of cotton is its excellent ability to absorb moisture. The disadvantages of cotton are considered its high creasing and strong shrinkage during washing. Cotton dries for a very long time after washing.

White cotton trade items, bed linen can be machine washed at maximum temperature, colored linens at temperatures up to 60 degrees, delicate colored items at temperatures up to 30 degrees. For washing white linen, use universal detergents, for colored linen - mild detergents and products without bleach.

Cotton items can be dried in a tumble dryer, but remember that they can give large shrinkage... It is advised to hang items of trade with an ennobling finish wet to dry. Cotton fabrics are ironed with an iron and a humidifier.

It is planned to take about 36 million hectares of land for the cotton crop for the 2011/12 harvest, which is an additional 7% plus in relation to the previous year. To meet the huge cotton trade, record growth is expected in 2011 harvest cotton by 9%. This is more than 27 million tons of cotton.

Cotton is the most important raw material used in the textile industry. In the world, in percentage terms, this is about 50-60% of all raw materials. Cotton is grown in tropical and subtropical regions of the Earth:, Russia, Pakistan, Brazil, Egypt, America, and republic of peru.

The largest cotton producers are China, India, America and Pakistan. The only country in Europe with a significant 10th place in the world for growing cotton is. Cotton production in Spain is insignificant, and Turkey already belongs to Asian countries, since the main cotton plantations are located in its Asian part. The growing conditions of cotton also determine its main characteristics such as: strength, heat resistance - heat regulation, moisture absorption - hygroscopicity and elasticity.

The standard is cotton "Upland" from USA(fiber length 20 - 30 mm). The longer cotton fibers, the softer and more tender they are. The advantage of short staple cotton is that it absorbs moisture better because it is fluffier.

Cotton (Cotton) is

The main world quality standards are possessed by cotton fabrics from America (the Mako variety, produced from the seeds of the American cotton Mitafifi, reaches a length of ~ 40 mm), Egypt (Abassi is considered one of the best views Egyptian cotton), and of course Peruvian republic(grade "Pima").

The highest quality is possessed by the "Sea - Island" variety ("Premium Sea Island Cotton") from USA sourced from the shores of Florida, the Gulf of Mexico and the offshore islands. It features a fine (0.016mm) silky fiber middle length~ 43 mm and up to ~ 56 mm. The collection of this cotton is extremely small, therefore, prices it is superior to many other finished fabrics. The standard is Upland cotton from the USA (fiber length 20 - 30 mm). The longer the cotton fibers are, the softer and softer they are. The advantage of short staple cotton is that it absorbs moisture better because it is fluffier.

Cottonseeds are used to produce cottonseed oil, and on its basis, soap, glycerin, margarine, and lubricants are produced. After removing the oil, cake remains (if the oil is squeezed out by pressing) or meal (if the oil is extracted with organic solvents). This waste goes to the production of animal feed or directly to livestock feed. In some countries, this waste is used as fertilizer.

Mercerization is process based on the processing of cellulose with a concentrated NaOH solution. It is named after the English inventor John Mercer (J. Mercer-1791-1866), who first identified and investigated it. mercerization is based on the change in the properties of cellulose under the influence of alkali.

Mercerization - special treatment threads, when natural burrs are removed from it - "fleece" and the thread becomes less fluffy. As a result, the fabric is refined, special strength, exquisite shine and silkiness appear. Thanks to mercerization, cotton fibers are easier to dye in bright, juicy colors. Unfortunately, often this shine, unknowingly, is perceived as an admixture of synthetic fiber. Processing cotton fabrics or other cellulose fibrous materials in the process of mercerization consists in processing fabrics with a concentrated iodine solution of alkali NaOH (usually at 15-18 ° C). With this treatment, the cotton fiber is greatly shortened and swells, it becomes smooth with a barely noticeable inner channel.

Textile glossary

cotton- and cotton. In meaning. "Cotton, the fibers of which are used to produce yarn, cellulose, etc." cotton, genus. cotton; pl. claps, genus. claps. Crops of cotton. Cotton harvest. Cotton picking. In meaning. “Blow, sound of blow, shot; clap "clap, genus ... Dictionary of pronunciation and stress difficulties in modern Russian

COTTON- fibers covering cotton seeds. When it ripens, the fruits (capsules) open, and the so-called. raw cotton (fiber with unseparated seeds). During processing, cotton fiber is separated from the seeds (fibers with a length of more than 20 mm), ... ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

cotton- / figuratively: white gold / growing: cotton Dictionary of synonyms of the Russian language. Practical guide. M .: Russian language. Z.E. Aleksandrova. 2011. cotton n., Number of synonyms: 9 ... Synonym dictionary

COTTON Ushakov's Explanatory Dictionary

COTTON- 1. COTTON, cotton, husband. A short blow, preim. in your hands. "The claps have grown to a standing ovation." Sholokhov. 2. COTTON, cotton, husband. 1.units only. The same as cotton. 2.units only. Cotton fiber, consumable for the manufacture of yarn, cellulose, etc. 3. Klok ... ... Ushakov's Explanatory Dictionary

COTTON Ozhegov's Explanatory Dictionary

COTTON- COTTON, pka, husband. 1. The same as cotton. Crops of cotton. 2. Fiber of cotton seeds, consumable for making yarn. H. fiber. 3. Same as cotton fabric. Cotton dress. Cotton raw cotton seeds with their covering ... ... Ozhegov's Explanatory Dictionary

Cotton

Cotton- I chl flask m. 1. Cultural annual plant the malvaceous family, whose seed fibers are used to make yarn; cotton 1 .. 2. Cotton fiber [cotton 1.] used in the manufacture of yarn, cellulose, etc. II clap approx m. 1. ... ... Modern explanatory dictionary Russian language Efremova

cotton- - EN cotton The most economical natural fiber, obtained from plants of the genus Gossypium, used in making fabrics, cordage, and padding and for producing artificial fibers and… ... Technical translator's guide

Nowadays, cotton harvesting is in full swing in Uzbekistan. Whichever city you leave, drive a few kilometers and see fields of dry shrubs covered with cotton wool. I left Tashkent in the direction of Samarkand in order to photograph the cleaning process. A little general information for those who, like me, had never seen cotton grow before the trip to Uzbekistan. Cotton grows in the fields on small bushes about waist-high.
In simple terms, these are just pieces of cotton wool on the branches.
Before harvesting, no water is supplied to the fields. Therefore, the cotton dries up. The "cotton wool" itself matures in the so-called box. In this photo, the box has cracked and opened (possibly in the reverse order).
But I picked this box personally. It was green and completely enclosed.
There were some adventures that day. I left Tashkent and about 10 km from the city stopped near a large cotton field, where just a bunch of people worked. I went to the field and only had time to ask a couple of questions to the guys who worked there, and to take a few shots, a man came up to me and said that it is strictly forbidden to take pictures of the cotton harvest. I asked who I was and what I was doing here. I said everything as it is - they say, a tourist, taking pictures. A minute later, another man came up and introduced himself as the owner of the field, said that it was private property, that it was impossible to take pictures and he called the police. I called on my mobile, two more arrived - one in civilian clothes, the other in uniform. The one in uniform showed his ID and identified himself as a precinct. They started asking if I had permission, why I was taking pictures, and so on. They even said that now they would take me to the prosecutor's office :) But I know that I have not done anything particularly criminal and I have nothing to fear. They stood and talked, they talked for a long time among themselves in Uzbek, the district police officer called someone on his mobile for a long time. As a result, they asked me to delete the four frames that I did. And they said that they could not allow me to take pictures without official permission. That permission must be obtained in the khakimiyat of the Tashkent region (such as the mayor's office or administration in Russian) from some Rustam-aka there. Moreover, the man who advised me to do this asked me not to say in the hakimiyat that he had sent me. Why it was forbidden to take pictures of the cotton harvest, he did not know. All this lasted no more than half an hour, and ended with the fact that one of them gave me a lift to the taxi rank so that I could leave for Tashkent. But I did not go to Tashkent, but to the next field, where no one forbade filming. The problem is that schoolchildren pick cotton in some fields in Uzbekistan. For about 2 weeks a year, every day they do not go to school, but to the field. It would seem that this is so - well, the kids will work with their hands, stay in the fresh air - they will be healthier. In the end, we, Russian schoolchildren, were also sent to weed carrots during summer practice at school, and I remember this fun time only with good feelings, and curricula can be redistributed. But all human rights activists use this as an opportunity to reproach Uzbekistan for using child labor. Therefore, organizers of cleaning do not like people with cameras very much. Be that as it may, no one forbade me to take pictures in the neighboring field. The field size is 2.5 hectares. I counted about 30 people who pick cotton - no more than 3 of them are men, about 8 are children, the rest are women.
Women cover their faces with headscarves. Firstly, protecting from the sun, and secondly, to breathe less dust from dry land.

The collected cotton is folded into such a knot, which is tied to the belt. When it’s full enough, it’s comfortable to sit on. This woman had picked 118 kilograms of cotton the previous day. Collectors are paid 130 sum for 1 kilogram. That is, last day the woman earned about 15 thousand soums, which is about $ 6 at the current exchange rate. I picked one bush and got this many. The leaves and boll are dry and thorny, so you need to work with gloves.
It is planned to harvest 120 tons of cotton from this field. So far we have collected only 20.
As I said, children help their parents and do not look tortured and oppressed.
Mother with daughter. With my daughter and son. Write down the address where the photos are to be sent. I do this a lot - I print photos and then send them by regular mail. Sometimes this is the only way to persuade a person to take a photo. The funny thing is how children change their faces when you photograph them. I took this picture unexpectedly for the boy.
And for the next, he had already managed to prepare - stood at attention and assumed a serious expression. By the way, this is done not only by children, but also by many adults.

The harvested cotton is carried to the trailer.

So much has been collected today.
Weigh it. And write down the results in a notebook.

Nowadays, cotton harvesting is in full swing in Uzbekistan. Whichever city you leave, drive a few kilometers and see fields of dry shrubs covered with cotton wool. Last Saturday I left Tashkent in the direction of Samarkand in order to take pictures of the cleaning process.

A little general information for those who, like me, had never seen cotton grow before the trip to Uzbekistan. Cotton grows in the fields on small bushes about waist-high.

In simple terms, these are just pieces of cotton wool on the branches.

But I picked this box personally. It was green and completely enclosed.

There were some adventures that day. I left Tashkent and about 10 km from the city stopped near a large cotton field, where just a bunch of people worked. I went to the field and only had time to ask a couple of questions to the guys who worked there, and to take a few shots, a man came up to me and said that it is strictly forbidden to take pictures of the cotton harvest. I asked who I was and what I was doing here. I said everything as it is - they say a tourist, I photograph.
A minute later, another man came up and introduced himself as the owner of the field, said that this is private property, you cannot take pictures and he calls the police. I called on my mobile, two more arrived - one in civilian clothes, the other in uniform. The one in uniform showed his ID and identified himself as a precinct. They started asking if I had permission, why I was taking pictures, and so on. They even said that now they would take me to the prosecutor's office :)
But I know that I did nothing particularly criminal and I have nothing to fear. They stood and talked, they talked for a long time among themselves in Uzbek, the district police officer called someone on his mobile for a long time. As a result, they asked me to delete the four frames that I did. And they said that without official permission they could not allow me to take pictures. That permission must be obtained from the khokimiyat of the Tashkent region (such as the mayor's office or administration in Russian) from some Rustam-aka. Moreover, the man who advised me to do this asked me not to say in the hakimiyat that he had sent me. Why it was forbidden to take pictures of the cotton harvest, he did not know.
All this lasted no more than half an hour, and ended with the fact that one of them gave me a lift to the taxi rank so that I could leave for Tashkent. But I did not go to Tashkent, but to the next field, where no one forbade filming.

The problem is that schoolchildren pick cotton in some fields in Uzbekistan. For about 2 weeks a year, every day they go to the fields outside of school. It would seem that what is wrong with this - well, the kids will work with their hands, they will be in the fresh air - they will be healthier. In the end, we, Russian schoolchildren, were also sent to weed carrots in summer practice at school, and I remember this fun time only with good feelings, and curricula can be redistributed. But all human rights activists use this as an opportunity to reproach Uzbekistan for using child labor. Therefore, organizers of cleaning do not like people with cameras very much.
Be that as it may, no one forbade me to take pictures in the neighboring field.

The field size is 2.5 hectares. Those who pick cotton, I counted about 30 of them, no more than 3 men, about 8 children, the rest are women.

Women cover their faces with headscarves. Firstly, protecting from the sun, and secondly, to breathe less dust from dry land.

The collected cotton is folded into such a knot, which is tied to the belt.

When it’s full enough, it’s comfortable to sit on.

I picked one bush and got this many. The leaves and boll are dry and thorny, so you need to work with gloves.

It is planned to harvest 120 tons of cotton from this field. So far we have collected only 20.

As I said, children help their parents and do not look tortured and oppressed.

Mother with daughter.

With my daughter and son.

Write down the address where the photos should be sent. I do this a lot - I print photos and then send them by regular mail. Sometimes this is the only way to persuade a person to take a photo.

The funny thing is how children change their faces when you photograph them. I took this picture unexpectedly for the boy.

And for the next, he had already managed to prepare - stood at attention and assumed a serious expression. By the way, this is done not only by children, but also by many adults.

The harvested cotton is carried to the trailer.

So much has been collected today.

Weigh it.

And write down the results in a notebook.