The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-11-09

Bulletin s7, which has just been is- sued by the Census Bureau, Is a re- port on the supply and distribution of cotton for the year ending August 3i, 1908, prepared by Mfr. Daniel C. Ro- per- expert chief of division, under the supervision of Mir. w. M. Steuart. chief statistician for manufactures. The report is divided into three parts, show ing. CD The supply of cotton in the United States for the year ending Au- gust 31, 1908. and the distribution of the same, the statistics of imports and exports, spindles, cotton consumed, and stocks in the hands of actual hold CTS on August 31 1908; (2) the latest available data regarding the cotton manufacturing industry in foreign countries; (3) the historical and de- scriptive matter as to cotton manu- featuring in the United States, with illustrations. There is also presented information relative to cotton waste waterpower. future dealings In cotton, and the classification of the fiber.
 Supply 1s,35S,7O7 Bales.
 This supply is made up by assem- bling the statistics of stocks on hand on September 1908. those of cotton ginned between September 1 and Au- gust 31, following, and those of the net imports of cotton during the year. The supply of cotton in the United States for 1908 is thus found to have been I3.35S,707 running bales. whlch compares with 15.025,72o bales for 1907, a falling off of 1,6670l3 bales or II per cent.
 Cotton Imported.
 The net quantity of cotton imported durInR the year was 140.S70 bales of 800 pounds each, a decrease Of SLs6S bales, or 30 per cent compared With the quantity imported during the year 1907, when the net imports were 2oz,- 7s3 bales. Of the gross imports, l22,- ITO bales, or S5 per cent, were or Egyptian growth.
 Production and Supply Reports Cheek
 Each Other.
 The plan of collecting reports of cotton production through the ginners has proved to be not only reliable but also valuable for 1t enables 8 segrega- lion with regard to the year of growth, and the locality where grown, not pos sible under other systems; further more reborts of production collected in this way, showing the crop of the preceding year, are issued as early as April 1, a saving in time of some nve months over the commercial system, through which full reports can not pc secured until after August 31, the close of the commercial year. The report on the supply and distribution is the complement of that on produc- tion, and thus each becomes check on the accuracy of the other. The seg- regation of stocks at the end of the is unique and desirable. as 1t shows the quantity of cotton in the possess sion of each general class of holders and affords trustworthy information as to the present available supply. Supply Fails to Equal Dissribusson ny
 170,43S Bales.
 It is quite noteworthy that the sta tistics of the supply of cotton for 1908 fail by only 175,4SS bales of balanS- ing the statistics of the distribution. As there are so many agencies ana holders to be canvassed In the compi- lation of the statistics. and as numer- ous factors exist which tend to cFe- ate discrepancies, 1t is remarkable that the balance sheet involving an amount aggregating 13.S5S,fOT bales shows so small a difference. Among the factors responsible for dtserep- ancv are the following: CD The in- rlusion in the distribution Tn some in- stances of rebAled samples. commonly called 'icity crop; CD the lack of uniformity on the part of manufactur- ers in returning stocks, for notwtth- standing the endeavors made to in- press all holders of cotton with the necessity of returning stocks in aeeord- ance with the census schedules, slight Implications may result, the manurae- turers reporting in their stocks cot- ion held in independent warehouses which may also be returned by the managers of these storage places; and fs) an understatement by ginpers and deIinters of the quantity of cotton pro. duced, due largely to the inability of these agencies to accurately estimate inc quantity of cotton remaining to be Kiuned and the quantity of linters to be saved from reginning cotton seeo St tha time of the March canvass for production. It is impracttcable to at tempt to state how much any one or ali oS these factors contribute to caus- Ing the discrepancy, but considerable part of 1t is certainly attrioutaele 70 of cotton leaves the ginnery until 1t reaches the consumer it Is sampled a number of times-that is, small quantity of the fiber Is extracted from the bale for use in determining it's value. and these samples with cotton