The Green Forest tribune., 1917-02-02
COTTON GRADE LOSSES
Amounts to Millions of Dollars in
 Southern States.
Producers Can Have Large Share in Improving Conditions-Great and Inconsistent Variations in
 Prices Paid.

(Prepared by the United States Depart
 ment of Agriculture)
 The more or less general failure of cotton buyers and cotton producers to take grades into account in the pri- mary sales of the fiber probably results in losses to the growers amounting to millions of dollars each year. Stud ies of market specialists of the de- Dartment in representative towns in the nine principal cotton producing states of the South indicate that the losses probably totaled seven and half million dollars in 1913-14 alone.
 Cotton producers themselves can have d large share in improving these conditions. The growers should ia miliarize themselves with grades and should insist that the proper classift- cation be given their bales by buyers. The economic importance of securing proper ginning, adequate baling and covering, the proper storage also should be recognized.
 Great Variations Found.
 Surveys conducted by the special ists have showed that there are great and insistent variations in prices paid for cotton of different grades. The average of prices on observed transac- lions in Alabama for one month, for example. s-as 1851 cents for strict good ordinary and 13.47 cents for strict good middling, the latter being six grades better than the former. The higher grade of cotton thus sold for 20 cents less per bale than that of the lower grade when on the basis of New Orleans differences, it was actu- ally worth S750 per bale more. The inconsistencies and differences were especially apparent among the higher grades above middling. This is most unfortunate since it shows a failure to recognize the value of improvement of cotton varieties by growers and in effect puts a premium on careless and indifferent farming.
 Marked differences in the prices paid for cotton of the same grade in the same markets on the same day also were disclosed by the survey. Thus middling cotton of 1 1-16 inch staple in a certain market brought 13 cents a pound. while middling of l B inch sta ple at the same place and on the same day brought only 1905 cents. The lat ter cotton should have brought one half cent more than that of the short CT staple bale. Therefore, if the 1 1-16 inch bale brought it's true value, the other bale sold for at least $17.50 be- low it's real value. While all varia- tions observed were not as great as this, wide differences were found In numerous instances in every state where investigations were conducted.
 Geographical Price Variations.
 Inconsistencies in the valuation of tfnged and stained cotton also were observed the differences made in some cases between two bales of cotton of the same grade on the same market being greater than the amount paid for the cheaper bale.
 The survey showed that for the some grades the prices paid were on the whole considerably greater in the eastern cottcn states than in those west of the Mississippi. These differ ences, according to the specialists, were much greater than differences in freight rates to mills alone would ac- count for. The other factors in favor of the East are believed to have been the direct purchase by mill buyers, the existence of good storage facilities, the availability of relatively cheap money,