Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-06-23
GROWTH OF HIGHER
GRADES Of COTTON
URGED BY BUREAU

WASHINGTON, June 21.-The as
sured future of the cotton growing
section of the United States, it
seems clear, the department of agri-
culture announced today, is in
standardizing upland cotton produc-
ton to very few superior varieties,
and in improving the quality of cot
ton, in evenness Of staple strength
and other desirable spinning quail
ties, so as to completely free Ameri-
can cotton-growers from competition
of the inferior cottons of India,
China and other cotton growing sec
tons of the world.
with more money and effort be-
ing expended than ever before to
promote cotton growing on a COM
mercial scale in other parts of the
world" says the departments an
nouncement, competition from these
sources with inferior types Of Amer
lean cotton will greatly increase. Ex-
periments of the past decade have
shown that it does not materially
affect the cost of production to grow
superior varieties in single variety
communities, as compared with the
present scattered system of grow
ing a large number of varieties IN a
single region.
Many Varieties Grown
During the last year county
agents in six of the cotton-growing
states east of the Mississippi were
asked to list the different varieties
of cotton grown in their respective
counties and estimate the percentage
of the total cotton acreage OF the
county planted to each variety. 1t
is certain all the varieties being
grown in the states are not included
in the replies, but the extensive list
reported serves to emphasize the
large number of varieties in use
and also suggests the practical GER
tainty that with the large number
of varieties in close, association, mix
ing of seed in gins and cross po'~:ni.
zation in the fields is resulting in
steady deterioration of most, if not
all of the varieties reported upon.
"Ninety-four distinct varietal
names are given i'll the answers, not
including different strains of COM
paratively widely used varieties such
as Cleveland, Toole, Cook, Column.
bia, etc. In eighty Of the ia coun-
ties reporting, it is estimated that
so per cent or more of the cotton
acreage is planted to single vari-
ETY.. In thirty-five of these coun-
ties, the estimated percentage of
acreage in a single variety runs as
high as rs per cent.
Wide Price Range Results
"The predominant varieties in the
above eighty counties are as fol
lows:
cleveland in forty-six counties,
half and half in nineteen; Cook in
four; King in three; Toole in three,
and Trice and college No. l in one
county each. Also the long staples,
Lightning Express in two and Weber
Delta type in one. 1t should be
noted that half and half is not gen.
orally regarded as a satisfactory
cotton, and under normal condi-
tons of the short staple market.
discrimination in price against half
and half is ordinarily practicable.
The comparatively large percentage
area in this crop is probably to be
ascribed to the very wide planting
of this variety several years ago.
Under normal market conditions
the gradual supplanting of this va
riety with some variety equally pro-
ductive and of better quality is to
be expected.
"In times of cotton shortage ordi-
narily the spread in price between
premium cottons and cottons of in
ferior staple is rapidly reduced or
may disappear entirely, since under
these conditions there is generally
difficulty in making deliveries of
the types of cotton specified in con-
tracts and therefore unusual leni-
ency in waving contract require
ment is frequently extended With
the establishment of more normal
market conditions, however, the dis.
elimination between cotton Of good
quality and cotton of inferior staple,
either in price or in readiness of
the market to absorb cotton, is
SharnlV aCcentuated "