The Monticellonian., 1917-11-16

 may give considerable variation es- pecially during the latter part of the season Many loads of cotton origin ating 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 a higher or lower grade than the rest of the bale. Plat ing is usually caused by a roll, be- ing left in the "breast' of the gin from cotton of a different lot previously should be drawn from a sufficient depth to be fairly representative of the bale.
 Protect Copies of Standards.
 It 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 oftieal standards scarcely more than one sea son. Color may even be destroyed within few days if the practical forms are left exposed to light.
 When selling most short-staple cot ton-three-quarters to one inch in lop nth th--fho do iS nSnaItv tho 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-whieh 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-eighths of an inch to one inch sold for epproxi mately seven-eighths of cent below middling and good middling sold for approximately half cent above mid- dlipg.
 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 erades-lOw middling, mid ding and good midding-he will be able to deal with most of the white cotton grown in the average season. By practieing with full set of types or official standards for comparison, copies of which are furnished at a 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: CD grade, t2) color (3) length and (4) character.
 Classification According to Grade.
 With the re-enactment of the Unit ed States cotton futures act, August II, 1916, the following grades for cot ton were repromulgated: CD Mid ding fair, (2) strict good middling, t3) good middling, (4) strict middIing, t5) 5middling, Go strict low middling, CD low middling, (s) strict good ordi- nary, CD good ordinary. This range of grades covers practically all white cotton grown in an average season. Middling, as the name indicates Is the middle or basic grades, and is tbe grade upon which the market uuota- tions are based. All grades above mid ding should bring higher price. and all below should bring lower price than that quoted for middling. the amount above CT below varying ac- cording to the commercial differences in use where the cotton is marketed When cotton is not white, it's nature or class is eustomarily indicated by modifying terms. At some markets there may be several classes of the same grade of cotton, that is: mid ding off color, middIing spotted. mid ding yellow tinged or middling yellow. or middling blue stained.
 The grade of cotton is determined by three factors: CD foreign matter or impurities, such as leaf, dust. sand notes and cut seed; CD color, and t3) quality of the ginning.