The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-18

engaged in the cotton business. Also, he has been in times past interested In the cultivation of cotton on an extcn- sive scale. He was given vote of thanks by the great cotton conference assembled at New Orleans few years ago Tor his paper on "A Practical Warrant Warehouse System,- written for thut body of men, interested in solving the question of securing a fair price for the south's great money crop --cotton.
 Progress, much progress has been made since the Revolution of 1S6l- -e5 in the cul- tivation of cotton, in the growing of it, in the manufacturing of it here in the south, but no progress in systematizinS and regulating its marketing.
 The absolute loss to the farmers of the south in the indifferent picking, grow ing and packing of cotton annually amounts to probably sloO coo, 900 on 15,- ooooo0 bale crop. 1 propose in this arti- cle to show the leaks and lackings which largely cause this.
 Indifferent, Careless Gathering
 There has been some improvement in the last ten years to a degree in the picking of the cotton crop by some farm CTS, largely due to the increase of white labor Whereas the post bellum period showed the major part of a 10000 bale crop. us70 as an example) was produced by negro labor. yet it is estimated that of the 100000 bale crops of the past three years. five-eighths was made and picked by white hands.
 It is true the seasons have much tC do with the grade tclass) of cotton. but the improved methods of cultivation by intelligent farmers. in some measure Qr most. seasons) has had quite little tc do with bringing much cotton to early fruitage. enabling the picking of 1t ir fair weather
 Cotton picked in fair weather. prop erly handled all the. way to the baling will make a smooth, pure white sample the very highest class-fair On the last market quotations this cotton-was worth l50 points above middling, a difference of S.50 per bale. In favorable seasons, when good mddling may be found abundantly. when there should be double the quantity ol poor seasons. the difference is 6 points S3.2o per bale above mddling. The 19l: crop of 14,161115 (American) brought an average of 12.20c per pound, basis mid ding. The crop was clean and fairly good, all things considered; that is, the picking seasons were Favorable.
 If we take cotton at 12iAc per pound the relative average price of middlins in the 19l2-13 crdp, and note, that cotton falling below this grade is valued as follows: Barely middlng, SIPS per bale off; strict low middling $2.50 per bale off; low middling, $6.25 per bale off; strict good ordinary, s10 and good ordinary $ls per bale less in value than the middlins class would fetch we may then see how the picking, growing and packing or cot ton affects the price Each enters into the matter of the final showing of values
 If the cotton picker gathers with grab, the full open boil of pure fleece he will take the dried leaf and dark cal of the boil, and 1t will be impossible foi the gin to remove all the trash. Thus what otherwise would make a middlins fair sample, would produce sample o1 probably strict middlng.
 If cotton is picked from off the ground and thrown into the same bag with the clean picked. it will affect the whole mass
 Just here I diverge, to say, that when mechanical cotton picker Is perfected and it will be-the revolution in cotton culture will be as great as the invention of the cotton gin by Eli Whitney The mechanical picked will never produce the clean, fancy grades of cotton. The small white farmer with his family of children carefully hand picking his cotton wi command a double premium over the other. In proportion as the medium grades, middling and below are supplied and these vary according to picking sea sons-so the price varies relatively. The spinners of certain classes of goods re- quire the very finest grades of cotton This demand keeps apace with the larger demand for increased production to sup ply the worlds needs.
 Careless Ginning and Packing
 One of the marked changes of the las quarter of a century is the elimination ol tho old plantation cin-hOuse with if,