Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1914-10-16
MOVE FOR COTTON STANDARD
Same Grade Names Used In Nearly
All Markets With Different Mean
inas Causes Confusion.

the Importance of the uniform stand
ard for grading cotton, and also to the
fact that although the same grade
names are used in nearly all markets,
they do not always have the same
meaning. This inevitably results in
confusion which. however, II is hoped
will be done away with before long.
An important step in this direction is
the preservation by the department Of
agriculture Of SO sets Of official sam
pies of each grade in large vacuum
tubes. In these tubes there is no light
to bleach, no air to oxidize, and no
moisture to permit mildew. The sam
pies, therefore. remain permanently
unchanged and provide an authorita-
tive standard from which other stand
ards may be prepared and issued by
the department for use in grading COM
mercial lots.
This standard is the outcome of an
act passed by the Sixtieth congress,
authorizing the establishment of nine
Official grades to be named as follows:
Middling fair. strict good middling.
good middling, strict middling. mid
ding. strict low middling. low mid
ding, strict good ordinary and good
ordinary. In this system of grading
middling Is taken as a basis. The
grade names containing the word
strict" are known in the trade as half
grades, the others as full grades.
The grade Of cotton is dependent
upon the amount of foreign matter or
impurities, such as leaf, dirt and sand
which it contains, and also the guam
tity OF strings. notes. neps, gin-cut
hber, cut seed and unripe fiber; and
also to a certain extent color. In de-
termining the amount of foreign mat
ter in the cotton the weather is a
very important factor, either wind or
rain being often responsible for an
unusually large quantity of dirt or
sand. Much Of this foreign matter
can be taken out by the use of clean
ing attachments at the gin and IL the
cotton Is sold strictly by grade. there
fore. the cost of this process (due to
loss in weight) can be recovered in the
markets. The various impurities and
kinds Of defects already mentioned
cause waste In manufacture and for
this reason the fewer of them the
cotton contains the higher price it
should bring.
In addition to the grade, cotton is
also classed by its color. The most
desired is bright cream. This, how
ever, is lost II the cotton Is left in
the field too long or 1t may be altered
by heavy falls Of rain. The soil also
has distinct effect upon the color of
cotton. The United States Official
standard requires that all cotton grad
ing strict good middling or better
should be of bright cream or white
color and free from discoloration. In
the lower grades q fixed color is not
SO much insisted upon. The variations
in color. however, have given rise to
several trade names which 1t would be
well for all persons interested in cot
ton to familiarize themselves with.
There are standard or white, "off
color" fair color" spotted" Hinged"
and stained" BY adding these to
the grade names different classes of
the same grade are formed.
In considering prices of cotton, 1t
should be remembered that the vari-
Gus grades do not indicate in any way
the length Of staple. 1t is usual to call
cotton that averages one and one
eighth inches or more In length staple
cotton. and that less than one and one
eighth inches short staple cotton.
Length-types are being issued by the
department Of agriculture in co-opera-
ton with the census bureau. Little
difference Is made in the price for the
various lengths Of short staple cotton
but there IL . tendency at present to
make closer distinctions In this re-
spect.
At the present time the differences
in price for the various grades are
fixed three times each year on the
New York cotton exchange. This rule,
however. has recently been revised
and beginning on September 3. 1914,
the price differences will be adjusted
monthly. On September /. 1914, the
Liverpool market will adopt the new
standards which 1t has agreed upon.
These are much like the United States
standard, except that the word fully
is used for our word strict The lower
grades in the Liverpool scale also have
wider color variation than the United
States standards permit.
Although the grower may find that
for practical purposes 1t is sufficient
that he can distinguish between the
three important grades of low mid
ding. middling and good middling, the
types Of which are being prepared and
sold by the department for $3.50, 9TH
ers in the cotton trades are compelled
to be more exact. For their purposes
q full set of ofiicial cotton grades, each
set showing nine grades. can be OBJ
tanned from the United States depart
ment of agriculture at $40 q set. The
cotton to be graded is Of course com
pared with these Official grades. The
work of grading can best be done in a
room with a north light or skylight.
Great care should be taken to see that
none of the trash Of the commercial
cotton falls over the standard grades,
and these grades should also be care
fully kept from light and dust when