Georgia Cotton Kingdom

Most of the south, and most of Georgia, is not located near these ideal wetlands, and so demand for alternative cotton grew once plantations expanded into the continental south. An early breed of cotton, called Georgia Green Seed for its fuzzy green seed, was the first attempt to grow inland. The seed was developed and first sold to colonists by Phillip Miller, a botanist from Chelsea, England in 1734. The problems with the strand were many. Green Seed was very susceptible to bugs, it was hard to harvest, hard to clean, and didn’t yield much cotton. It was coarse and very short, making it nearly worthless for human fashion. However, it was very easy to grow and could withstand the range of climate inland Georgia experienced.

The colonists needed something of higher quality. Georgia green seed simply wasn’t desirable. Colonists preferred linen and fur to colonial cotton. Walter Burlington had the answer. While on a trip to Mexico, he discovered a strand of cotton and seeing a business opportunity, smuggled back seed to Mississippi with which to experiment. He found it was much superior to any cotton then currently growing in the south. He soon sold seeds to farmers throughout the southeast. Unknowingly, these farmers cross-pollinated with existing cotton crops and created very superior hybrids. These “Mexican Hybrids” formed the basis for many of the future cotton breeds and indeed kicked off the cotton kingdom in the south with early hybrids such as the Seed-Mexican and Creole-Green. Mexican cotton and its hybrids was easier to pick ripened in the early fall (meaning more working hours) and at the same time, and the bolls opened very wide, making picking quicker. The drawback to the Mexican cotton and its hybrids was the attention needed. If it were not picked almost immediately after opening, the boll would fall to the ground and quickly be consumed by pests. The Mexican Georgia Green Seed hybrid stayed on the plant longer and meant a higher profit margin than other early hybrids, making it a superior plant.

According to data collected in 2005, the United States is the second-largest producer of cotton in the world, preceded by China. Georgia is the third largest cotton producer in the United States and would be the ninth-largest cotton producer in the world if it were its own country.