© 2003, Rotary Club of Charleston

P.O. Box 21029
Charleston, SC 29413-1029

Club secretary:
Carroll Schweers
chasrot@comcast.net

Porcher shares on history of Sea Island cotton
Now extinct crop was source of world's finest cloth

AUG. 12, 2003 -- Dr. Richard Porcher of the Citadel's Department of Biology enthusiastically shared with Rotarians the history of a now extinct form of cotton plant known as sea island cotton. It was once known as the finest cotton grown anywhere in the world due to its strength and luxurious texture.

Porcher explained that there are two types of cotton: long-staple cotton (of which sea island cotton was one type) and short-staple cotton (the type of cotton grown all over the South and made famous in movies such as Gone with the Wind). Long-staple cotton came into existence more than 2-3 million years ago, but the sea island strain did not originate until the 1820s when a plantation owner near John's Island undertook a highly intensified seed selection with the goal of increasing fiber length. His slow propagation techniques resulted in fibers of unusual length and durability. True sea island cotton had a minimum of a 2 1/2 inch staple.

The first commercial crop of sea island cotton was sold during 1827 for $2 a pound. All of the sea island cotton produced at the time was shipped to England and France to be woven into the finest of cloth. Great wealth was amassed by the creator of sea island cotton, and neighboring plantation owners hurriedly copied his techniques and built their own fortunes. Following the Civil War, sea island cotton continued to grow but never again achieved the staple length seen prior to the war. By 1920, sea island cotton had been driven into extinction by the boll weevil. Other forms of long-staple cotton still exist, but attempts to resurrect sea island cotton have repeatedly failed.

Porcher is writing a book on sea island cotton, which is due out next year. He has been seeking, but has yet to find, examples of cloth that is confirmed to have been made from sea island cotton.

-- Amy Jenkins

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