BUEEAU OF MARKETS. 551 



Other tests indicated that soil fertilized with ammonia produced 

 better cotton than that fertilized with acid phosphate or sulphate 

 of potassium, and that cotton which had been infected by the pink 

 boll worm was weakened from 33 per cent to 50 per cent. 



A survey of the Sea Island cotton district was made in July, 1919, 

 to ascertain the applicability of the official cotton standards for Sea 

 Island cotton to the past season's crop. This matter was discussed 

 with growers and others interested in handling Sea Island cotton, and 

 some constructive suggestions were made. On account of the fact 

 that the Sea Island cotton industry has been almost destroyed by 

 the boll weevil, however, the use of the standards for such cotton has 

 been greatlv decreased. 



MARKETING COTTOX SEED AND ITS PRODUCTS. 



Owing to decreased funds, the resignation of the leader of this proj- 

 ect, Mr. C. *F. Creswell, in October, 1919, and the inability of the 

 bureau to secure the services of a suitable man to fill the vacancy, 

 the work of this project during the past year was largely limited to 

 the compilation of data already in hand. Satisfactory progress 

 in tills direction is being made and it is expected that shortly a 

 bulletin will be issued which will set forth some of the results of 

 previous investigations. 



DIVISION OF GRAIN MARKETING. 



The Division of Grain Marketing, after its formation during the 

 past fiscal year, was placed under the supervision of Mr. H. J. Besley. 

 During the period covered b}'^ this report this division included the 

 following activities: 



Enforcement of the U. S. grain standards Act, 



Grain investigations. 



ENFORCEMENT OF THE UNITED STATES GRAIN STANDARDS ACT. 



During the past fiscal year the enforcement of the grain standards 

 Act was carried on under the direction of the division leader assisted 

 by Messrs. A. W. Merger, R. T. Miles, and O. F. Phillips. 



The official standards for oats, which were made effective on June 

 16, 1919, have proved to be well adapted to commercial use and gen- 

 erally satisfactory to the various agencies concerned in the marketing 

 of this crop. 



The wheat standards have been in effect only during the period 

 of fixed prices, and consec^uent abnormal marketing conditions. 

 Under the wheat price guaranty Act, the compulsoi-y use of wheat 

 grades applied to intrastate as well as interstate shipments which 

 necessitated the application of the grades to wheat at interior points. 

 As there were no licensed inspectors at these points and as there was 

 a great lack of knowledge regarding grading on the part of pro- 

 ducers and many interior dealers, the wheat standards naturally 

 came to be the subject of controversy in some sections. Tliis induced 

 certain persons to rocommond. in the spring of 1020, revision of the 

 grades for Hard Red Sj)ring wheat. The proposed revisions in- 

 volved a distinct lowering of the standards. A delogation from the 

 Central Northwest, favoi-ing tliof-c clianges, was hoard at "\\'ashinglon 



