The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1889-10-31
SOUTHERN AGRICULTURAL.
cotton vs.. Jute Bagging.

quenuly, the foreign prices govern tne
home market Liverpool, being the
greatest cotton market in the world
practically controls the cotton market
of the world for the above reas on, and
. for the further reason that there the
cotton from all the producing
countries meet in competition. Amer
can prices represent just as low
price as the Liverpool market will
justify; and whenever American buy
ers offer only a fraction lower than
the shipper can realize by sending his
cotton to Liverpool. he will ship it
there. And American prices must,
therefore, represent the Liverpool
price less the cost of all expenses that
attach to shipping and selling in that
market. These expenses can be esti-
mated with great accuracy, and in
whichever market the seller can realize
the most net money there he
will sell. This operates to keep the
markets practically equal In ship
ping to Liverpool. there is freight
to be paid, also insurance, commits
ions and tare for bagging, ties and
dir t. These all attach as expenses,
and are deducted from the gross pro-
ceeds to give to the net or American
price. The tare for bagging and ties
is various.'y estimatedi some claim that
they take OF the bag .ging and ties and
weigh the net cotton; others that the
ties are taken of and weighed actual,
and that the ba,gging is eftimated at
sixteen pounds and dirt at fon." pounds;
others that they take tare of six per
cent. or about an average of thirty
pounds per bale. The latter system is
probably almost the universal custom,
and for the purpose Of this exlmina-
ton the tare will be calculated at
thirty pounds per bale, as is the GUS
tom in estimating American quota
tions. The ties actually weigh about
ten pounds, and as we have seen the
bagging averages ten and ~ half
pounds, the allowance of th9 four
pounds claimed for dirt brings the
total up to twenty-four and halt and
leaves the balance of five and half
pounds to represent loose cotton that
sticks 10 the rough bagging when it is
removed. OF course that is entirely too
much, as probably not over pound
or two does actually so stick to the
bagging, but it is very troublesome in
that particular. Stuce, then, tare
representing the full amount OF the
weight of the bagging and ties. and
about one per cent of the cotton, is
deducted at Liverpool market, and
since the Liverpool market fixes and
regulates the quotations of all OTHER
markets, American as well as foreign,
let no man be deceived by the asser-
tions of superficial persons who claim /
that no tare is taken on the American
market. The tare is allowed for in the
quotation of prices, and, therefore, is |
never avoided by single bale. And !
since it represents all the bagging and
the ties and one per cent of the cot
ton, there is exactly that much abso-
lutte loss that must be charged to the |
expense account. To illustrate: Sup
pose a bale of cotton sold weighing |
5203 pounds; at 8 cents pound there
are 500 pounds of cotton, bringing $40, |
and 204 pounds of bagging and ties,
bringing 81. 81, making a total of $41. "a.
1t would seem that the bagging and |
ties, which cost probably 80 cents, had |
been sold for "A cents profit. but it !
should be remembered that cents, |
as the price is based on the English
tare, and without that would be thirty
pounds, at 8 cents, more on the bale, t
or 81 40, being about 81 cents per
pound. Now what Is the difference
between paying the 81 cents and de-
deducting the tare, or paying s cents
and pretending not TOP
The bagging made from cotton is
much lighter and is of uniform weight.
This is an advantage. because the
weight being always the same, it can
be accurately estimated; whereas, lutte |
being of different weights, the tare as
above shown. is based on heavier |
weights. The cotton weighs three
fourths of a pound, and if the same
amount be used as is customary of
jute, the crop of 100000 bales will
require 5000 600 yards, which will
weigh 100000 pounds. and costing
at 124 cents per pound-the maximum
PRICES, 100000. By allowing two per
cent. for waste in manufacturing, the |
gross pounds of raw cotton used in
making that amount of bagging year
ly will be 34.684,000 pounds, or &c.
$50 bales of 500 pounds each. Cotton
is much less infiammabIe than jute,
and, in consequence, tits claimed, will
be entitled to lower rate of insur-
ance. Cotton will weigh from six to
eight pounds less than jute per bale,
and it will have no lint cot
ton sticking to it; therefore
the tare must be reduced eight pounds
in cotton wrapped in cotton bagging.
The planter will be independent of the |
cash market for his low grades of cot
ton, and can ship them to native
Southern cotton mills to be made into |