COTTON FIBRE 47 



The average good cottons of India are the Broach, 0'90 inch 

 Karachi (special cotton), O90 inch ; and Tinnevelly, 0'80 inch. 



Within these locality denominations, the trade cottons are graded English 

 according to certain terms universally accepted as having definite terms ' 

 and relative meanings. They are indicated by a series of letters 

 that have a fixed signification with each group. For example, the 

 Uplands or American short staples are spoken of as ' G.O." ( = Good 

 Ordinary) ; ' L.M.' ( = Low Middling) ; ' Md.' ( = Middling) ; 

 'G.M.' ( = Good Middling); ' F.G.M.' ( = Fully Good Middling); 

 and ' M.F.' ( = Middling Fair). ' G.O.' is therefore the lowest 

 quality officially recognised and 'M.F.' the highest, that is to say 

 the longest of these cottons. 



The Egyptians are quoted under similar terms, such as 'Fr.' 

 ( = Fair), the lowest; 'G.F.' ( = Good Fair); 'F.G.F.' ( = Fully 

 Good Fair) ; and ' Gd.' ( = Good), the best quality. 



The Indian cottons are recorded as ' F.F.' ( = Fully Fair) ; ' F.G.' 

 ( = Fully Good) ; ' F.G.F.' ( = Fully Good Fair) ; ' Gd.' ( = Good) ; 

 ' F.G.' ( = Fully Good) ; ' Fine ' ; ' S. Fine ' ( = Superfine). 



The Brazilians have fewer designations : ' M.F.' ( = Middling 

 Fair) ; ' Fair ' ; and ' G.F.' ( = Good Fair). 



Of Sea Islands the terms are ' Ord.' ( = Ordinary) ; ' Com.' 

 ( = Common) ; ' Med.' ( = Medium) ; ' Good Med.' ( = Good 

 Medium) ; ' Med. Fine ' ( = Medium Fine) ; ' Fine ' ; and ' Extra Fine.' 



In a communication which I have had the pleasure to receive 

 from Mr. Lyster H. Dewey (Botanist in Charge of Fiber Plants, in American 

 the Bureau of Plant Industry, Washington) the following passages 

 occur : ' In accordance with a request received from you some time 

 ago for more definite information regarding the trade names of 

 cotton, I have written the secretaries of some of the principal cotton 

 exchanges to secure at first hand the information desired. 



' There are two classes of trade names used in the market. 

 Such names as Sea Island, Georgias, Peelers, Benders, Upland and 

 Allen refer to the variety or class of cotton, while another series of 

 names, such as ordinary, low middling, middling, fair, &c., refer to 

 grade and apply to all of the different classes of cotton as they are 

 placed upon the market. I will enclose herewith a copy of a list of 

 the grades such as are recognised in the New York cotton market. 

 The grade " middling " is taken as the basis for all contracts. Grades ' Mid- 

 above middling are purchased at a premium or command a price ba ^|f of e 

 above that of the ordinary quoted market price, while grades below contracts. 



