The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1916-11-26
FARMERS LOSE
+ COTTON SOLD
IN THE SEED
OF AGRICULTURE
SHOWS DISADVANTAGES OF
SELLING uNGlNNEO COTTON -
MONEY LOST.

Washington. Nov 26.-Because o
the great losses that are being sus
tanned in the sale of cotton in thu
seed in some parts of the country
market specialists of the u. S. de
partment of agriculture recommend
that farmers discontinue sales of seed
cotton and encourage custom ginning
/ in their neighborhoods. The many
factors entering into the value OF
cotton can not be estimated accurate
Ily before ginning, it is pointed out,
while by marketing the lint and seed
separately, the grower may have a
, knowledge of the value of his product
land may sell it on its merits. The
recommendation are based on n study
made in Oklahoma in 1915 and report
ed in Farmers Bulletin No. 775, re-
Gently published.
Losses from Seed Cotton Sales.
In the transaction observed in Ok
lahoma an average of $i63 per bale
was lost by selling cotton in the seed,
while in one case the loss was as high
as S213O a bale. These computations
took full account of ginning costs and
similar charges Ii is estimated that
100000 bales of cotton were sold in
the seed in Oklahoma during the sea
son in which the study was made. If
the average losses observed were
made on each of these bales the ag
gregate loss to the state was in eX-
cess of $1,000 600. For the United
States as a whole. the sales of cotton
in the seed in 1915 are estimated to
have been $4,000 bales or per cent
OF the total crop. II the average loss
es per bale held good for these sales,
the total loss in the country. due to
the sale of cotton in the seed in 1915,
was more than s4,000,000
Reasons for the Losses.
Profitable prices are not offered
for seed cotton. market specialists
say largely because It is impossible
for the purchaser to determine the
grade of the lint before it is sepa-
rated from the seed, and he therefore
protects himself against possible over.
grading by the quotation of a lower
price. If prices for seed cotton were
made TO accord with the prices of
lint and seed separately they would
have to be based on percentages of
fiber and seed, grade of fiber, and
cleanness. Since these variable fac.
tors can not be determined accurately
for each load dealing in seed cotton
has come to be placed on basis of
averages which penalties particularly
he grower of high grade cotton.
In addition to cash losses from re
ceiying lower prices than would hav
been received from the sah of ginned
cotton and seed, farmers selling cotton
IN the seed and their communities |
ose from the mixture of seed in the !
gins. many of the farmers having to
iepend on this seed for planting. The
mixture of varieties and different
engthS of staple results in less
.aluable crop OF cotton the next sea
on and, if continued, will bring abou,
progressive deterioration.
No Seed Cotton Standards.
Seed cotton does not lend itself to |
Standardization and. therefore. the ]
,rower selling the product in this form
an not receive the protection of the
otton grade Standardization work o.
he L. s department Of agriculture.
nd can not compare his cotton with
he published prices for the various
int grades Quoted in outside markets
$ can the seller OF ginned cotton.
even the quotations for seed cotton
re not widely published. so that the |
eller OF such cotton Is 10 a large
Ntent entirely dependent upon local
rice quotations.
Extent Of Seed Cotton Sales.
The sale OF cotton in the seed in the
where the practice is
'rcvalent has usually originated when
he cotton growing industry was new
nd gins were not accessible. The
actice has been permitted to con
inue in many cases. however. even
fter custom gins have been built in
Gees sible localities. on the theory