The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1882-09-14
THE CorTON-PICKING SEASON AND
SOME sEAsONABLE sUGGEsTIONs.

SOME sEAsONABLE sUGGEsrIONs
Now that our cotton picking season is
opening, u few words Of advice to our plan.
tiers may not be inopportune. The com.
plants from Europe in regard to American
cottons are numerous and widespread, and
Of such a serious character as endauger the
interests of the leading article OF southern
growth and expectation. Our consuls ~
the leading manufacturing points in
England, France, Germany, SwitZer-
land, etc., were instructed last
year by congress to procure
all possible information on this subject
and to furnish the same as il might be
gathered to the Department of State. They
found among other things, that in the first
place, American cotton in the same bale is
often oPdiilerent staple, although the color
may be quite uniform. This, the spinners
thought, rose as rule, from want Of
proper sorting or over.ginning, yet where
layers of different sorts werefound il would
seem to proceed from fraudulent admix-
ture of different kinds oil cotton. This is II
matter of great Importance, as 1t vastly
affects the price. The same complaint
was made some years ago against
India cotton, but that trouble with the
Indians was remedied by plan OF careful
inspection by first purchasers. Another
complaint against us is Of damp cotton.
In this regard it is rather the packers that
are censured for infusng steam, throwing
on OIL water, etc, during the packing. By
this the cotton is Increased in weight from
per cent. TO 10 per cent. Another COM
plant is Of tue adulteration by the addition
of dust or sand, and this evil is sometimes
most fragrant and extensive, for thousands
OF tons Of white and red sand are
sent out annually in the bales.
II is sometimes found rs though thrown in
by shoyelsfull and sometimes weighing over
l00pounds, and often with the appearance of
having been wet at the time. Many Of the
spinners say they average loss from this
source of from 10 TO 10 per cent. Tn y pfaG
ticc seems to be growing. Another c M
plant is of our wrctchcd baliug and pach
ing, as compared with other places, The
consumers urge that the soyonlines3 with
which we pack, and the consequent ragged,
dirty and disreputablc appearance of ctr
bales largely tends to dcpreciate the price.
The poor material with which We
wrap tho 500 pound or larger
mass, the insuilicicncy q pressing
tho irregularity of size, the covers often
torn, with the staple hanging in filthy
and dusty patches here and there, several
hoops busted Off, one end bullying with
corpulence, while the other tapers TO The
shape OF II stumpy cigar, all beget 80 much
Of II tax which nearly always comes out
of the American farmer or shipper as the
case may be. Much trouble is likewise
given by iuadequacy OF marking whereby
our cottons often 70 astray, or get mixed
up. In India and the Levant The bales
from the plantation are rcpacked etc, the
consequence of this is that these Egyptian
and Surah bales are square, clean,
uniform ip size ana weight, sheathrd
with fine strong hompen and jute
cloth and securely bound with iron bands
six inches apart, and hence the American
bale stands preludiced against at once
alongside OF them. Another matter ON
farmers SHOULD pay great attention to, and
that is to pick their cotton rs clear OF leaf
seed, stem and all other trash as it shall be
possible, Some ten years ago Just as seri-
Gus structures were made against Egyptian
Brazilian and Peruvian cottons, but since
the passage OF the British Cotton Frauds
Act' and the severe laws enacted in Bonn.
bay against the selling OF the adultcrated
staple, a great change has been ct.
tected, and if we Americans, that is
to say, wo southerners desire to stand side
by side with them, We must observe the
practices which mako their bales, other
things being equal, so largely preferred.
Possibly a law Ivy the next legislature
making penal all fraudulent pa king
might help the cause considerably. and
preserve the reputation of an honest class OF
farmers against the rascalities OF some dis.
honorable packers, as also, perhaps, if the
planter and packer should be compelled to
place their names inside every bale OF
cotton. We desire to see Texas
cotton at least rank high in the markets OF
the world as to all these requirements
which begct excellence of price and CORES.
ponding reputation, Let the farming in.
tercs' as the great base of this pyramid see
to 1t that no flaw shall he traceable TO them
and that our great staple starts out from
their hands clean.
VOORHEES, AND THE LAuoHrRs