The Monticellonian., 1895-05-17

medium condition, the others in the worst condition"
 Other reports are in the same tenor. Consul Chancellor, at Havre, says: l "The Indian cotton is pressed into ] small compact bales, securely GOV cred with jute, and wrapped continu- ously, as 1t were. with iron bands; whereas much of the American cotton arrives here in very bad condition-the iron bands broken and the bagging torn or otherwise mutilated and often rotten from exposure to the elements or from having lain in the water, which causes the weight of the cotton to be fietitiouSly increased single bales sometimes weighing 500 pounds. Cot ton thus saturated with water and in- creased in weight is necessarily great ly depreciated in value
 Consul Thomas, at Marseiiles, re- ports that ''inquiries of dealers as to the most desirable of the methods em- ployed are invariably answered in fa vor of the Indian, though they usually add that the Egyptian Is practically as good. In every instance they are equally as positive that the American ,
 There seems to be an opinion almost unanimous among the foreign buyers of cotton that the American compress ing is faulty. Consul Thomas, in speaking of this defect, says: "Fhe high pressure to Egyptian and Indian cottons arc subjected, all dealers af- firm, has no evil effect upon the staple. On the contrary, it is advantageous in many ways It is never yellow from exposure to daylight, and their eXceI- lent covering employed, which seldom tears, protects even the outer surface from contract with tho dust and dirt on shipboard and at the landing places. An additional item, which may Do of less importance, but to which attention is called by dealers here, is that these highly pressed bales are much less liable to injury by exposure to rain, and it is stated that a cargo of Egyptian cotton recently sunk on sailing vessel in the Mediter- ranean near Marseiles was raised, after two weeks exposure to the sea, practically uninjured.n
 The consul at Bremen, Hugo NJ. StarkioG, notes marked difference in bales from various parts of the United States. "Ihe best packing of Amer icau cotton" he says, lis done in the gulf states-Ala hama, Mississippi and Louisiana The cotton bales from these states arrive at Bremen in q fan better condition than the upland cot ton, as the material of covers and wrappers is superior one, and the packing itself more accurately done. The bales are mostly packed in two breadths of wrappers, so that there is one extra breadth on each side Of the bales, which. ut the same time, covers the heads of the bales. The bales are equal in size, and this gives the whole !, lot good appearance.
 Cotton bales from Texas are gener- ally furnished with seven iron bands of good material. The Texas cotton ; bales weigh more than all other bales, although they are not as strongly pressed owing to the dry character o1 the cotton, which does not permit as close compression Us damp or moist cotton.
 The packing of cotton in Tennes- see, Missouri and Arkansas is done in the same manner as in Texas. The wrappers and bands are of equal duai= ity, but their weight is less than that of Texas bales The bales are also furnished with seven iron bands, when pressed.
 The packing of cotton in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia is very inferior. The bales are not of equal size and vary greatly in weight The packing and wrapping arc of inferior quality and there is no uniformity in the packing of bales"
 Tt is high time,n comments this consul, that the shippers of cotton in the United States should take notice of the many complaints made for quite a number of years, and that they try their best to change condition which is apt to ruin their trade, especially as they now have to deal with competi- tors from India and Egypt
 Consul Monaghan, at Chemnitz, says Austrian and German spinners are making efforts to secure better pack ing of American cotton. The Austrian Spinners union wrote to Director Stark, in Chemnitz, asking that Ger many be urged to cooperate. The Bremen cotton exchange, the spinners of Saxony, southern Germany, includ- ing Alsace- Lorraine, Baden and the Palatinate, and the spinners of Ba- varia, have held meetings and are unanimously of the opinion that Amer ican cotton growers should be asked to pack as they were wont when jute was dear. l have on my desk prac- tically all the important corresponds on the subject. It was hoped that planters might be induced to press more closely; but when it was urged that the cotton planting industry is spread over eight or ten states, that the ma chinery now used would have to be re- placed by better presses, etc, it was concluded to ask only that the cotton be better packed. It was proposed to order only from producers willing to use this packing. To begin slowly and ultimately urge all planters to adoptit, is thepolicy that found favor. ''
 Liverpool is one of the greatest markets for American cotton. Consul Neal reports that most American cot ton bales are landed in very ragged condition, with the cotton much eX- posed, and either because of the poor material of the iron bands, and especially the ties, or because of the extremely rough treatment on the railways or steamships, great numbers of bales are landed with several bands missing. In consequence of the pres