The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1916-03-13
U. 5. Department Of Agriculture Cautions
Farmers Against Planting Short
Staple Varieties, Urging Care
in Selection Of Seed
DANGER OF LOWERING
AMERICAN STANDARD
Inferior Grade Would Force Planters to
Compete with India; Important to
Maintain Reputation Of Lo-
cality in Markets

WASHINGTON. d. c.. March 13.--
The department of agriculture on April
=, 1914, and again on March 2, 1915,
issued warnings to farmers of the
southwest against planting varieties
o. cotton that usually produced sta.
pie Of less than seven-eights inch in
length, especially sucn varieties as are
said produce half seed and half lint. In
view of the approaching planting sea-
son, the department wishes to reitsr-
ate these warnings for the benefit OF
the entire cotton belt. The producers
OF cotton, for their own welfare, should
teen his. advice, and should exercise
judiciouG care in the selection of plant
ing seed
The following reasons are given for
warning cotton growers against plant
ing any variety that usually produces
a staple Of less than seven-eighths
inch in length:
4 Cotton of less than seven-eighths
inch staple is of approximately the
same spinning value as the bulk of
the cotton of India. On economic prin-
ciples, the American product should
be maintained on higher level OF In
trinsic worth than that of India In
order that the American crop may not
be forced tc compete in the markets
of the world with the cotton of India.
2. Cotton of less than seven-eighths
inch staple is inferior to the American
quality. and localities that produce
such cotton in appreciable quantities
soon establish regulations for an in
ferior product. The price of all cot.
ton in such markets will suffer On
account of the poor reputation Of the
market.
3. Competent cotton buyers discrim-
mate against extremely short staple
whenever such cotton is discovered.
They should be equally careful to dis
criminate in favor of cotton of good
staple The farmer who produces in
ferior cotton is likely to find that his
product brings price materially lower
than quotations would Indicate as its
true value. The seller commonly looks
upon such discrimination as penalty.
while the buyer considers that he Is
paying the full value for an inferior
commodity
a. Under the common practice OF
the Gotten trade, the price of spot cot
ton is governed largely by future quo
tations. In order that future quota
tions might more accurately reflect
the value Of spot cotton, congress ir-
the United States cotton futures act.
provided a form OF contract, exempt
from the tax imposed by the act on
which cotton Of extremely low grade
or which is less than seven-eighths
jnche in length OF staple is not de
liverable. This action Of congress was
intended primarily for the benefit OF
producers. One OF lts results Was lhe
adoption by the New York and Ns~
Orleans exchanges of the exempted
form Of future contract, so that co.,
ton of less than seven-cighths inch
in length Of staple cannot be delivered.
This legislation in no way affects any
sale of spot cotton.
:. AS the variety Of seed planted
is the primary factor in determining
length of staple, and as there are ear
" maturing prolific varieties which
produce staple of at least an inch In
length, no farmer or community is JUS
tified in planting an inferior variety.
or in expecting the full market price
for a debased article OF commerce.