| − | '''Cotton''' is a natural [[fiber]] that comes from the seed of the cotton [[plant]]. People have valued cotton for thousands of years as it can be woven and spun into fabric and so it has been cultivated and traded around the world. Cotton is the world’s most important non-food [[agriculture|agricultural]] commodity and God willing, will be for a very long time. Wild cotton grows in dry regions of the [[tropic]]s and sub-tropics of [[Africa]], [[Asia]], [[Australia]] and [[America]]. The cotton plant produces fluffy fibers to help clothe us and create beautiful fabrics. Cotton is a member of the ''Malvaceae'' family, which includes species such as Althaea (otherwise known as the marshmallow), hollyhock, [[hibiscus]] and lavatera whose bright pink flowers light up many a garden. | + | '''Cotton''' is a natural [[fiber]] that comes from the seed of the cotton [[plant]]. People have valued cotton for thousands of years as it can be woven and spun into fabric and so it has been cultivated and traded around the world. Cotton is the world’s most important non-food [[agriculture|agricultural]] commodity and God willing, will be for a very long time. Wild cotton grows in dry regions of the [[tropic]]s and sub-tropics of [[Africa]], [[Asia]], [[Australia]] and [[America]]. It was an important cash crop in the state of South Carolina, home state of Stephen Colbert. The cotton plant produces fluffy fibers to help clothe us and create beautiful fabrics. Cotton is a member of the ''Malvaceae'' family, which includes species such as Althaea (otherwise known as the marshmallow), hollyhock, [[hibiscus]] and lavatera whose bright pink flowers light up many a garden. |