The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-10-31
DEMAND FOR LONGER STAPLE
Commissioner Tells Farmers of Con-
''''' '''%' ditiOfr to BE Met. 81.

AS State warehouse commissioner
have been devOting my whole tim.
and giving my best thought to thc
study of cotton production and cotton
consumption here in South Carolina
especially with the view of improving
marketing conditions and marketing
methods. The United States depart
ment of agriculture was induced to To-
cate in this office an expert grader
and clasifier of cotton, and the SER
vices of this gentleman are free to all
farmers and holders of cotton stored
with the State warehouse system. Tho
character, that is, the grade and the
length of staple, of cotton grown in
the various counties of the State in
1917, is being scientifically investi-
gated, and report of the work will
in due time be made for the benefit
of the farmers and of others interest
ed in cotton. Through the courtesy
time during the cotton season. in :.
formation about the several kinds of
cotton grown in 1917 will be given out
and suggestions offered to the farm"
ers relative to the production, the
gathering and the housing. the gin
ming and the handling, and lastly the
marketing of their crops.
1t Is noticeable that of the sho:.
staple varieties the cotton grown in
the upper counties of the State shows
a longer and stronger staple than that
produced in the lower counties. that
is in the counties south of Columbia,
The reason for this is not hard to find
most of the mills in the Piedmont
region require cotton with a staple
from seven -eighths to more than one
inch In length. and the farmers in
that part Of the State have for years
been planting varieties Of seed that
produce, the longer staple. wish to
emphasize and impress upon the
farmers of the lower counties the i'm
portance of planting their 1918 crop
with the big boil varieties. If the
farmers Of each community will meet
at an early date and organize and
then all agree to plant their entire
crops next year in some one of the
big boil varieties, they will make a
reputation for the cotton grown in
their community---the length OF
staple Of all cotton will be practical
ly the same, the lint in each bale will
be uniform and even running and
will always command premium
price. Our farmers should give up
the old practice Of planting solely for
quantity they will find it more pro-
ftable to add quality to quantity.
Farmers living south of Columbia are
always at the mercy Of the exporter
because they do not produce the bet
ter grades and the longer lengths of
staple. Cotton that staples five
eighths to three-fourths of an inch
will not advantageously spin numbers
above IS. 12s and 15s, and for that
reason must be exported to be made
into coarse goods The loss in grow
ing these shorter staples aggregates
millions of dollars each year.
Again the United States government
has recently taken over quite a num-
ber of cotton mills and will operate
them to manufacture goods for war
purposes: the government is requiring
these mills to sell all low grade cot
ton now on hand and all cotton that
will not stand definite breakage
strength. A government expert is To-
Gated at mills to test the tensile
strength. Of both the yarn and the
cloth.
further. manufacturers now prefer
and demand the better grades of cot
ton because there is less loss in waste,
because there is better production in
goods. and because the operatives are
better satisfied with their work-the
machinery runs more smoothly on the
better staple cotton, requiring less
labor on the part of the help. 1t is
difficult to hold the operatives and
Keep them satisfied where the ma
chinery runs badly--where the low
grades and the very short staple OF
cotton are used in combination with
the better grades.
| Up to 20 years ago the Southern
manufacturer was under the impress
sion that he could mix low grade
with a higher grade bale and get a
cotton that would run evenly and spin