Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1915-03-16
COTTON CALLED HALF AND HALF"
DEPARTMENT SAYS is VERY
INFERIOR.
THIS VARIETY Is OF VERY POOR
CHARACTER AND SHOULD
NOT BE USED.

f-h FftH 80 80 ARA
L. the fact that active campaigns have re-
suited in the introduction into portions
of Oklahoma, Texas and Arkansas of a
variety of cotton called ''llalf-and- Half"
II ! reported that the seed has been sold
for ~ much a. $500 per bu-hcl. under
the representation that ii J. an exceed
ingly prolific variety, yielding fifty per
cent Of lint, or a fveihundred pound bale
from one thousand pounds of seed cot
ton. Many inquiries have been received
from planters throughout this section ask
ing for advice concerning this cotton.
The Department. representatives have
examined many samples Of Half aud
Half cotton from these States aud have
grown 1t m experimental paintings, and
have found 1t lar inferior Ia cotton ord,n
arily produced IN this section.
The Department field tests ou numcr
Gus varieties have shown that "llali and
HAIR does not maintain 4 high rang al
total hut yield per acre. The large pro
portion al lint 10 seed apparently results
from the fact that the seeds are very
small and light. The danger OF Judging
cotton by lint percentages ha~ bccu tx
planned ia Bureau of Plant Industry CIR
cular No. H., and the caution has been
repeated III u. =. Department VI AgriruI
iure Bulletin No. 60.
The lint of the 'Ilalf and Half variety
Il of poor character, irregular, wa~ty and
very short, a large portion of the samples
examined beng less than ~cvcn-ciehth~ uf
a. ,,.I -, l.,.tL, ~ .sa,l. I..t.. L.
than Scven-cighthS ~ III inch J. untrndcr-
able on future contracts made under the
provisions Of the United States Cotton
Futures Act. and therefore buyers will pc
nalize II whenever discovered.
The Department j. informed that many
persons who grew this variety have sue
ceeded IN selling u ~ prevailing prices,
but this can not long continue. When cot
ton of less than Scvcn-eighths Of an inch
in length sells for tull market price. it j.
because its true character was not de
tectcd. Whenever cotton firm find q large
part of the cotton IN amy r.i-imuuiiN tall
ing to seven -cinhth~ ~ an lnch a. lc-- III
length. buyers will H. Withdrawn from the
district or they viii scale down the prices
ON all grades to meet the lower prIee~
which must bc cxpectd tor such short sta
pie.
Many interior huycr~. a~ we'll s- prac
tically All the larger cotton trims. have dr
clincd t. handle this cotton at amy price.
They state that IT, lint l. far inferior 10
that commonly grown III their territory
and l. not acceptable to their regular Gus
TONERS.
Competent ~piuner~ ha', stated that
this variety a. ordinarily grown produce
- short 4 fiber A. "a render y wholly un
suitable for the class ui work which now
consumes the great bulk I'D me cotton ~
the western belt.
Before thu, agitation became general. "a
hiph-grade sample of thi~ cotton WAS sub
united by the Department a. two promi-
nent member ~ the New Orleans Cotton
Exchange. who. ~ the first attempt tu puli
the staple. stated that the fiber wH- -u
short that il would bc rejected a. ''prr
iShed staple by their classification com
mittee and would not bc tcndcrahic ou New
Orleans cotton contracts. Two member
Of the New YORK Cotton Exchange. ~
whom samples were submitted. made prtr-
ticallv the same remarks.
Various cotton exchanges N the south
western states have taken official action
10 prevent the delivery oi thl~ cotton on
contracts made between their member.
A. grown Ia Texas. II T. lacking ~ storm
proof quality. a. the cotton drops from the
hollis very easily and Ihc individual seeds
often fall apart.
Repeated complaints are received from
~,rl,~h -%pinnerS of the number OF "miNN
hales of American cotton. Thi- condition
arise, largely through the Introduction 81
short staple INTO long staple cotton term
tory. or ~ long staple INTO communities
growing short staple cotton. ANY serious
mixing Of varieties which have fher> OF
different lengths results IN serious losses an
waste whenever the cotton y spun upon
machinery adjusted for the longer varle-
Ties. Spiuner~ vii b. quick 10 discover
any serious admiVture 81 shorter and m
fcrior cotton. and the growers will suffer
il such varieties become popular m their
territory.
In view of these facts the department
and Arkansas that the introduction Of
"IIalf- and Hair or amy other variety II
cotton producing fiber Of less than seven
eichthS Of an inch ia average length. will
be- likely to damage the reputation Of their
local markets. and may result IN a few
"