of the specific quality characteristics that have been bred into each specific variety. (e) Percentage of moisture. This factor, while not as important as some others, should be considered. The value of cotton varies somewhat depending upon its moisture content due to differences in humidity and exposure to rainfall. Too much moisture, as well as too little, may affect slightly the over-all value of cotton. (f) Preparation and Wastiness.-The degree of wastiness in raw cotton depends largely upon the degree of maturity and upon the ginning preparation of the cotton. This factor is important both in determining the amount of waste removed in the manufacturing processing and in the quality of the goods produced by the mill, since all neps cannot be removed in the carding or combing process. Mechanical picking, faulty cleaning and ginning, are all factors which make a portion of each crop more difficult to describe in terms of official standards. Bale by bale information with respect to the above six quality factors for the 1950-51 cotton crop is not available. These quality factors, not subject to a general appraisal, are evaluated through Government, mill, or commercial laboratory tests designed for use in selecting cotton especially suited to meet specific individual mill requirements. The foregoing factors have not been specifically considered in establishing loan prices under the cotton loan program conducted by this Department. The loan program is not a merchandising medium but instead it is designed to place a floor under prices of average quality cotton described by grade and staple length, and sold in a free market. It is felt that these other factors which affect the value of cotton would be reflected in higher prices based upon the relative importance of such factors. SUMMARY In summary it may be said that it would be difficult indeed to obtain uniform and consistent interpretation for the more than 400 combinations of grade and staple length provided for in the official standards on the part of the thousands of individuals and firms engaged in normal trading operations. Even if this were possible there are other strong and overriding reasons which will make it almost impossible to effectively administer a control program providing for ceiling prices on raw cotton at all levels. In general, cotton is not bought or sold on the basis of specific and fully defined descriptions which could be clearly interpreted in a uniform manner by all individuals or firms engaged in the business. Sales most usually are consummated on the basis of an agreement between the buyer and seller as to the value of the cotton, each for himself, basing his opinion on factors and judgment not always clearly or directly traceable to a uniform interpretation of official standards of grade and staple. A schedule of ceiling prices which fails to consider these factors could only result either in chaotic marketing conditions or wholesale and widespread violations. Mr. W. D. LAWSON, ANDERSON, CLAYTON & Co., INC., Care Mr. John White, Fulbright, Crooker, Freeman & White, 838 Transportation Building, Washington, D. C. DEAR MR. LAWSON: You should have received already four boxes of 12 samples each, which were prepared by Messrs. Attwell and Williams in the classing room of Anderson, Clayton & Co. here: Box 1, Middling 1332''; box 2, Strict Low Middling 116''; box 3, Strict Low Middling Spotted 1'; and box 4, Strict Low Middling Spotted 15/16". The samples in each box were selected by Mr. Attwell and Mr. Williams as falling within the range of the respective universal grade standard and being equal to the respective universal staple standard; and they were submitted to the United States Board of Cotton Examiners, at Houston, who confirmed this classification through the enclosed Form A classification certificates. Enclosed are eight sets of photographs of the boxes Nos. 1 to 4 inclusive. Enclosed herewith are tables also showing the areas of growth and the varieties of cotton, when available, and the fiber data listed by boxes and bale numbers in each of the four boxes. The Colorimeter readings of the brightness and color factors were determined by the Nickerson-Hunter Cotton Colorimeter in the classing room of Anderson, Clayton & Co., at Houston. The four fiber factors (length, length uniformity, fineness, and strength) were determined in Anderson, Clayton & Co.'s fiber laboratory at Houston. The fiber data are being determined also at the PMA fiber laboratory at Texas A. & M. College, and these findings will be furnished within a few days. Spinning tests on certain of these bales (representing the extremes and the mean) are being made in the PMA spinning laboratory at Texas A. & M. College, and the data will be furnished by Saturday, May 26. You will observe from the data that the Colorimeter readings on the samples in box 1, classed as Middling 1332'', correspond with readings expected for Strict Low Middling Extra White to Strict Middling Extra White in the Standard boxes. The fiber lengths, as measured on the Fibrograph, range from 1.02 to 1.14 inches. The uniformity ratio varied from 68 to 81. The fineness, as measured on the Micronaire, varied from 2.5 to 4.6. The fiber strengths, as obtained on the Pressley instrument, varied from 68,000 pounds to 96,000 pounds per square inch. It is understood that each mill will have its own methods of spinning and processing cotton. The results they obtain from a given cotton will vary, therefore, to some extent. The quality of yarn, however, can be predicted fairly well from fiber-laboratory data. Spinning laboratories, by producing and testing yarns from the same bales tested in the fiber laboratories, will bear this out. The fiber properties indicate that bales 392696, 115688, 730774, 146105, 243236, and 146432 from box 1 should give very strong yarns. If spun at normal speeds, they should produce uniform yarns with high yarn-appearance grades. Cottons of this type could be used for many products and would spin well in any mill accustomed to spinning irrigated growths. . Bales 224500, 241567, and 129233 would probably produce medium to weak yarns suitable for some purposes, but not for others. Bale 357986 is made up of thin-walled fibers which should produce a relatively strong, but neppy, yarn that would tend to dye a different shade than those of the first group which have thick-walled fibers. Bales 243265 and 129842 should produce medium to strong yarns with more than average neps. The samples represented in box 2, classed as Strict Low Middling 1", showed variations in Colorimeter readings ranging from Low Middling Extra White to Middling Extra White. The fiber lengths, as obtained by the Fibrograph, ranged from 0.96 to 1.10 inches. The uniformity ratio varied from 72 to 80. The fiber fineness varied from 3.1 to 4.6. The fiber strengths, as obtained on the Pressley, varied from 65,000 pounds to 93,000 pounds per square inch. The fiber data indicate that in box 2 bales 135874, 634699, 762831, 762833, and 244521 could be spun successfully into uniform yarns of high strength. Bales 244475 and 143800 should spin readily into strong yarns with somewhat more neps than the previous group. Bales 243337 and 130122 probably could be spun into relatively coarse, smooth yarns of medium to low strengths. Bales 242766, 239257, and 130164 should spin into rough, neppy yarns of medium to low strength and could be used for a limited number of products. The samples in box 3, classed as Strict Low Middling Spotted 1', showed variations in Colorimeter readings from Low Middling Spotted to Middling grade. The fiber lengths, as obtained on the Fibrograph, varied from 0.89 to 1.04 inches. The uniformity ratio varied from 66 to 78. The fineness, as obtained on the Micronaire, varied from 2.7 to 3.4. The fiber strengths, as obtained on the Pressley, varied from 66,000 pounds to 82,000 pounds per square inch. All of these bales were below average in fiber fineness and would, therefore, tend to produce neppy yarns unless handled with unusual care. Bales 243477, 143869, and 243426 probably could be spun into yarns of average strength or better. The others should produce medium to weak yarns, particularly bales 145298 and 240528. The bales represented in box 4, classed as Strict Low Middling Spotted 18", varied in Colorimeter readings from Strict Low Middling Tinged to Middling. The fiber lengths, as obtained on the Fibrograph, varied from 0.86 to 0.98 inches. The uniformity ratio varied from 64 to 78. The fineness, as obtained on the Micronaire, varied from 2.3 to 4.7. The fiber strengths, as obtained on the Pressley, were all medium to low and varied from 62,000 pounds to 77,000 pounds per square inch. 83762-51-pt. 2– -49 The cottons in this group are all limited to medium to coarse yarn numbers which would tend to be medium strength to weak. The fiber fineness of bale 2705703 indicates that it could be spun into relatively smooth, uniform yarns, whereas bales 2255229, 2337500, and 2329986 would produce rough neppy yarns. The others would no doubt produce medium to neppy yarns that would not dye the same as those from other bales. The products made from the cottons represented in this report would vary considerably when cotton is abundant, permitting a mill to pick and choose. In general, soft knitting yarns can be spun from long fibers even though the fiber strengths are medium to low. Strong yarns, however, can be spun from relatively strong fibers only, and smooth, uniform yarns can best be spun from relatively coarse cottons or from cottons with thick fiber cell walls. Very fine yarn numbers require fine, relatively strong cottons. Although each mill will vary in its ability to spin a given yarn from the different types of cotton represented here, it is our experience that most mills desiring high quality cottons will select medium to strong fiber and, except in the extra-long staples, will prefer medium to coarse fibers. This tends to put a premium on such factors. The data presented here show that these important fiber properties vary widely within a given grade and staple of cotton as bought and sold in the ordinary channels of trade. Therefore, the Universal Standard description alone does not set the value of a particular bale nor of a so-called "even running lot." Sincerely yours, ACCO FIBER & SPINNING LABORATORY, DEFINITIONS OF TERMS USED IN THIS REPORT Variety or growth: Indicates the area, or gin point, and the variety of cotton when possible. For example, California Acala 4-42 means the variety Acala 4-42, grown in California. Colorimeter readings: Were made on the Nickerson-Hunter cotton colorimeter. Brightness: Indicates the reflection of light by the sample. This is determined by the sheen of the cotton, the amount of dirt and trash present, the preparation of the sample, and to some extent, the color. Composite color: The color readings indicate the general over-all color of the sample from blue at low readings, to yellow in the intermediate readings, and red for the high readings. Fiber data: Are the measurements of the physical properties of the cottons measured in the fiber laboratory. Length (upper holf mean--fibrograph): Represents the average length, in inches, of the longest half, by weight, of the fibers in the sample. Uniformity ratio: The ration of the upper half mean to the mean length, the latter being the average length of all of the fibers in the sample. Fineness (Micronaire) The weight of the fibers, in micrograms (millionths of a gram), per inch of fiber length. Fineness is measured on the Micronaire, which is an air-flow instrument. The resistance of the cotton to the flow of air is measured, and the Micronaire readings are calibrated in terms of fiber weight per inch. Strength (Pressley) The amount of pull required to break all of the fibers in a bundle. The strength values are in thousands of pounds per square inch of cross-section of fiber bundle. INTERPRETATIONS OF THE TESTS In connection with the tabulations which follow and as an aid in the comparison of cottons, these are the adjective descriptions which the USDA has given to the various test results: Fibrograph: Uniform ratio: Above 80 76 to 80 71 to 75- Uniform in fiber length Average uniformity Slightly irregular Irregular |