Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-10-12
CHASING Determines Actual
Value of Cotton

ton grower by two specialists in the
Office of markets of the United States
department Of agriculture, in Farmers
Bulletin S02. THE classification of
American Upland Cotton" The bulletin
tells how chasing is done. how samples
are taken and explains the use of the
official standards
When selling most short-stapIe cot
ton-3-4 to l 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 S-4 of an inch long.
Many times discrimination is so care
less that even the grade counts for lit
tie with the buyer. More attention is
paid to the staple in long-staple or
premium cotton LIS inches and long
er-which usually is sold, on type or
samples. Cotton must be classified in
order to determine the comparative
values of the different qualities and to
make buying and selling more satisfac-
tory by providing descriptions when
samples are not available.
Price quotations from various markets
throughout the United States where the
official cotton standards were used dur
ing the 1876 season showed much
more uniformity than existed before
their general adoption. Low middling
cotton of rs of an inch staple sold for
approximately rs of a cent below mid
ding, and good middling sold for ap-
proximately half a cent above middling.
To learn to classify all the grades and
qualities of cotton requires years of ex-
perience, but the grower need not know
them all If he learns to recognize three
grades-low middling. middling, and
good middling-he will be able to deal
with most of the white cotton grown
in the average season. BY practicing
with a full set of types or official STAN
daEds for comparison, ccopies of which
ate furnished at assnall charge by the
United States department of agricul-
ture. a knowledge OF the other grades
may be obtained gradually.
-Four qualities should determine the
value of cotton fiber: "a Grade. ((2D
color. CD length, and ca character
CLASSIFICATION ACCORDING TO
GRADED
With the re-enactment of the United
States cotton futures act, August IL,
1916, the following grades for cotton
were repromulgated I'D Middling fair,
90 strict good middling, CD good mid
ding. CD strict middling, (5) middling
(6) strict low middling, CD low mid
ding. CS) strict good ordinary. 90 good
practically all white cotton grown in an
average season. Middling, as the name
indicates. is the middle or basic grade.
and is the grade upon which the market
quotations are based All grades above
middling should bring a higher price and
all below should bring a lower price
than that quoted for middling, the
amount above or below varying accord
Ing TO the commercial difference in use
where the cotton is marketed. When
cotton is not white it's nature or class
is customarily indicated by modifying
terms At some markets there may be
several classes of the same grade of COZ
ton that is middling off color, middling
spotted. middling yellow tinged or mid
ding yellow, or middle blue stained.
The grade of cotton is determined by
three factors: % Foreign matter or
impurities; such as leaf, dust. sand
notes and cut seed Cd color, and C3)
quality of the ginning.
CLASSIFICATION ACCORDING TO
COLOR.
The color standards re-eStablished
and promulgated Immediately after, the
enactment of the cotton futures act,
August, 1916, are as follows:
Yellow tinged cotton of the grade OF
low middling.
yellow tinged cotton of the grade of
strict low middling.
Yellow tinged cotton of the grade Of
middllng.
Yellow tinged cotton of the grade OF
strict middling.
Yellow tinged cotton of the grade OF
good middling.
Yellow stained cotton of the grade of
middling.
Yellow stained cotton of the grade of
strict middling.
Yellow stained cotton of the grade of
good middling.
Blue stained cotton of the grade Of
middling.
Blue stained cotton of the grade of
strict middling.
Blue stained cotton of the grade of
good middling.
It is estimated that on an average