AOnn TLTURAL APIMlOIMtlATlON HII.I^ IWI. 401 



aiul lire froo to admit it. In thi* pa.st, rvrry Vfur, tlirv havr Uwn 

 \wn{ out (»f millions of dollars and tlwy know it, and iho cotton 

 huvt'is arc ln'cominj^ rich at llu> fjirmrrs' rxpnisr. 



Sir. Thnw. 1 havf a little note 1ht«' tluit llii-. la>i v.ju, uii.n i ini-* 

 appropriation, appntxiinatdy 1 lO.OOO lml«*s of cotton wen- clu<«>cd for 

 the farmers, or by tho farmers' own repres«Milativc. The increase iii 

 price to th«' farmer in market irj;;, not ordy according to the jjnule of 

 their cotton, hut hy staph', which thi'y do now under this m<*th(ul 

 of s(>llin<;. ran<;ed from one-half a cent a |)ound up to as hi;;h ha (> 

 cents a pound. 



Mr. A\i)Ki:s()\. How « an now tlciciiiinic llmt '. 



Mr. Tkn.n^. W V know what the cotton sold for because they hIu)W 

 that and we have rejjular reports fnNii all of these fiehl men, and we 

 know what the same jjrade of cotton, unela.ssed and unj;ra«led. by 

 the farmei-s' orj^anizatiotis sold for in similar districLs. 



Mr. A.SDKKso.N. 1 see. 



Mr. Bic HASAN. Not only that, but the farmers perhaps have had 

 their cotton classed ami then <;o around without lettinj^ the buyers 

 know that they have had it classed, and ask tiie buyers what they 

 will irive them for it. to make them a price, and then aflenvards they 

 will sell it at this hij^her price, after lettinj; the buyer (piote them a 

 price. Tlu'v have been swimlled for vears and years on that. 



Mr. Tk.nnv. There is no (luestion about the truth of that. 



Mr. IK.NNV. 1 liere is no (lues 



Mr. HlCHANAN. AbsolutiMV II 



not. 



WE.\THEKING AND UANDLI.VG OF COTTOM. 



Mr. Texxy. The second study that is beint' conducted under this 

 project is the one on weatliering and handling. vSo mucli of the 

 cotton is handled at the production points, especially, without ware- 

 housing facilities, that we are anxious to know not only the physical 

 loss, but what sj)inning losses are. 



Mr. Ik'cnAXAX. Well, you have a great many facts on tliat 

 alrcatiy, because in past years you liave been giving tliat considerable 

 study. 



Mr. Texxy. But we are still conducting those experiments and 

 especially emphasizing the effect on the spinning quality of that 

 cotton. 



The increase will be very largely used, if granted, in studying the 

 economics of the cotton market. 



The cooperative movement has progressed very rapidly throughout 

 tlie C\)tton Belt, and we desire to get a complete picture of the cotton 

 marketing and the place that the cooperative is playing in it at the 

 present time and that it proposes to play in it. 



Mr. AxDEUSox. I do not know verv much about col tun, but where 

 tliese cooperatives handle considerable (juantity do tliev sell on the 

 exchange or do they market direct to the spinner ? 



Mr. Texxy. They market direct, not only to the spinners, but to 

 the cotton factors. To the best of my knowledge, they do not sell a 

 pound of it on the excliange. • 



