406 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



An article on " How the Department of Agriculture Promotes Or- 

 ganization in Rural Life " was published in the 1915 Yearbook and 

 has been issued as Yearbook Separate 675. 



INVESTIGATION AND DEMONSTRATION OF COTTON STANDARDS 



AND COTTON TESTING. 



The investigation and demonstration of the official cotton standards 

 of the United States and the work in cotton testing under the direc- 

 tion of Mr. Fred Taylor has comprised the continuation of some of 

 the work of last year, together with several new lines. 



INVESTIGATION AND DEMONSTRATION OF COTTON STANDARDS. 



Demonstrations of the use of the official cotton standards of the 

 United States were continued in Edgecombe, Wayne, Wilson, and 

 Mecklenburg Counties, N. C. ; at Little Rock, Scott, and Camden, 

 Ark. ; Gadsden, Ala. ; Sweetwater, Tex. ; and in the Imperial Valley 

 of California. The object was to demonstrate and promote the more 

 general use of the standards and to show the farmer the benefits 

 resulting from a more general use of a recognized standard. 



In cooperation with the States Relations Service, and to further 

 this work, 125 copies of the 9 grades of the official cotton standards 

 representing white cotton have been prepared for shipment to county 

 demonstration agents. 



EFFECT OF COMPRESSION ON GRADE. 



At New Orleans, La.; Gadsden, Ala.; Talboro, N. C. ;and Little 

 Rock and Conway, Ark., an investigation was conducted for the 

 purpose of determining the effect of compression on the grade of 

 cotton. It was found that in from 24 to 48 hours after being taken 

 from compressed bales and exposed to the atmosphere, samples re- 

 gained their original uncompressed appearance, and that the grade 

 was not affected by compression. 



ESTABLISHMENT AND PROMULGATION OF STANDARDS FOR TINGED AND STAINED 



AMERICAN COTTON. 



During the fall of 1915 the work of determining suitable standards 

 for tinged and stained American cotton was completed, and on Jan- 

 uary 28, 1916, the Secretary of Agriculture established and pro- 

 mulgated the following standards for tinged and stained American 

 cotton : 



Yellow Tinged cotton of the grade of Good Middling. 

 Yellow Tinged cotton of the grade of Strict Middling. 

 Yellow Tinged cotton of the grade of Middling. 

 Yellow Tinged cotton of the grade of Strict Low Middling. 

 Yellow Tinged cotton of the grade of Low Middling. 



Yellow Stained cotton of the grade of Good Middling. 

 Yellow Stained cotton of the grade of Strict Middling. 

 Yellow Stained cotton of the grade of Middling. 



Blue Stained cotton of the grade of Good Middling. 

 Blue Stained cotton of the grade of Strict Middling. 

 Blue Stained cotton of the grade of Middling. 



