Carroll County democrat. (Huntingdon, Tenn.) 188?-1971, 1917-11-16

! different pickings made from time to
time are often stored together and this
may give considerable variation, es-
pecially during the latter part Of the
season. Many loads of cotton origin
atlng in different sections are some
times mixed in one large bin before
ginning. This practice caused mixed
grades and qualities Of cotton.
Many bales have on one side thin
plate" that is of higher or lower
grade than the rest of the bale. Plat
Ing is usually caused by ''roll' be-
ing left In the breast" of the gin from
cotton Of a different lot previously
glnned. A sample from such bale
should be drawn from a sufficient
depth to be fairly representative of
the bale.
Protect Copies Of Standards.
1t Is important to protect the copies
of the official standards from light and
dust. Only the surface Of the cotton
shows the grade, and exposure to light
and dust will in a short time so change
the appearance of the surface that 1t
does not actually represent the grade
or class as certified. When practical
forms Of the standards are In use they
will remain true copies Of the official
standards scarcely more than one sea-
son. Color may even be destroyed
within a few days If the practical
forms are left exposed to light.
When selling most short-staple cot
ton-three-quarters to one inch In
length--the grade is usually the only
quality considered. Very little regard
is paid to the length Of staple, although
cotton having staple Of one inch is Of
unquestionably higher value than that
only three-quarters Of an inch long.
Many times discrimination is SO care
less that even the grade counts for
little with the buyer. More attention
Is paid to the staple in long-staple or
premium cotton-one and one-eighth
inches and longer-which usually is
sold on type or samples. Cotton must
be classified in order to determine
the comparative values of the differ
ent qualities and to make buying and
selling more satisfactory by providing
descriptions when samples are not
available.
Price quotations from various mar
kets throughout the United States
where the official cotton standards
were used during the 1915-16 season
showed much more uniformity than
existed before their general adoption.
Low-middling cotton of seven-elghths
of an inch to one inch sold for approx
mately seven-eighths of a cent below
middling and good middling sold for
approximately half cent above mid
ding,
To learn to classify all the grades
and qualities Of cotton requires years
of experience, but the grower need not
know them all. If he learns to recog-
nize three grades-low middling, mid
ding and good middling he will be
able to deal with most Of the white
cotton grown in the average season.
BY practicing with full set of types
or official standards for comparison,
copies of which are furnished at
small charge by the United States de-
partment of agriculture, a knowledge
of the other grades may be obtained
gradually.
Four qualities should determine the
value of cotton fiber: Q) grade, (2)
color, (3) length and (4) character.
Classification According to Grade.
With the re-enactment of the Unit.
ed States cotton futures act, August
IL, 1916, the following grades for cot
ton were repromulgated: (D Mid
ding fair, (2) strict good middling,
(Sl good middling, "a strict middling,
(5) middling, co. strict low middling,
~ low middling, (S) strict good ordi-
nary, (9) good ordinary. This range
Of grades covers practically all white
cotton grown In an average season.
as the name indicates, is the
middle or basic grades, and is the
grade upon which the market quota
lions are based All grades above mid
ding should bring a higher price, and
all below should bring a lower price
than that quoted for middling, the |
above or below varying ac-
to the commercial differences
In use where the cotton is marketed.
When cotton Is not white, its nature
Or class is customarily indicated by |
terms. At some markets
here may be several classes Of the
same grade Of cotton, that is: mid
Hing off color, middling spotted, mid /
ling yellow tinged or middling yelIowss
u middling blue stained.
The. grade of cotton Is determiIled
" three factors: ~ foreign. matter
n impurities, such as leaf dust, sand
notes and cut seed; (2) color, and t3l !
quality Of the ginning.