The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1914-04-29
Wednesday. April 20, 1914.
SENATOR SMITHS COTTON
TESTS.

SENAHOh SNxx1"S OO
The Press and Banner has received
a card issued by the National Govern
ment showing yarn tests and com-
parative values of FIVE grades of cot
ton, tested at the Dan River Cotton
Mills and at Clemson College Textile
School. The tests agree as to results;
and they were made under the fQl-
lowing conditions;
The Ave grades of yarns were
spun under similar conditions, and
with the same speeds and. settings.
The Ave grades of yarns were bleach
ed in the same bath, Remaining the
same length of time, two and one
half hours.
The breakage in pounds per ska 10
the result of swenty-four tests oH each
grade, gray and bieached, using a
power yarn tester.
The percent of waste is the average
(visabte and invisabie) Of two tests
made on each grade Of Eastern Up,
land Cotton. .
Middiing cotton unbleached under
this test shows a strength Of 60.5,
bleached 5s.3. Good ordinary cotton
unbleached under the same test show
ed a strength of 56.4, bleached 6O.9,
In other words the lower grade of
cotton showed only q difference OF
about four units Of strength less in
the unbleaehed product, and actually.
showed greater strength in thei
bleaehed product by 2.6 units, show
ing that the relative strength Of the
higher and lower grades taken TO
practically the same and could not
figure in the commercial value Of the.
two grades. The percent of waste
then should constitute the main diff
ference in value.
The waste in "middling" cotton
tested was 1898 per cent. In "good.
ordiparyD 16.4g per cent. A differ.
ence of 500 percent or in pounds, on
a standard 500 pound bale Of cotton,
of SOa pounds. This should make the
middling bale weighing 500 lbs. sell
for from 1915 to a per bale more
than the"gQod ordinary" bale Of the
same weight, -
Our information is that the trade
under present methods OF grading,
this year made q difference Of $ls per
bale between these two grades. In
formation is not in hand to,prove or
disprove the accuracy Of this state
ment, but it is stated by Senator
Smith and accepted a. accurate In the.
absence of proof to the contrary.
Accepting this figure as correct thea,
the producer has parted with about
81 per bale on his lower grade Of
cotton, termed ''good ordinary" thai
should have gone into his pocket, and
it appears that similar losses have.
been sustained on other lower grades
because of the system Of grading
heretofore used by the New York
Cotton Exchange.
Senator Smith has secured an APP.
preparation OF 100000, with which
to furnish every shipping point in
the United States with q set Of gov.
ernment standard samples and a set
of the actual tests as shown in the
card sent Us. How far this will 80
toward securing an adequate. price
for lower grades of cotton may not
be predicted. If the mills have
themselves been in ignorance of the
spinning value Of varying grades of
cotton, perhaps in the light Of these
demonstrations they will raise their
prices on the lower grades. If they
have known these facts all the while
but have had ether reasons by way
Of obstacles to the profitable manu-
faetpre of the lower grades, those
reasons will still exist, and though
"good ordinary" cotton may be prac-
tically as strong and contain only
about 6 per cent. more IF waste than
middhng, the mills may not be will
ing to pay the relative values of the
two grades.
The New York Cotton Exchange
has agreed to adopt Senator Smiths
system of grading, and this ..alone
will do much toward narrowing the
marginal price between higher and
lower grades of cotton.
This much is certain. II Senator
Smiths bill results IN giving to the
farmer the real value Of bis lower
grades of cotton, as shown by gov
eminent tests. it will prove to be a
great benefaetion to the Southern
States.
Phe test card herein referred to IS
in the Press and Banner Office and