512 AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS 



162. THE OFFICIAL COTTON STANDARDS OF THE UNITED 



STATES 1 



For several years previous to the passage of the United States 

 Cotton Futures act, the cotton specialists of the Department of 

 Agriculture had conducted extensive investigations and surveys 

 throughout the cotton-growing states. These studies resulted in the 

 collection of valuable information regarding the varying characteris- 

 tics of the cotton produced throughout the cotton belt. In one season 

 alone this work involved the collection of over 35,000 samples taken 

 systematically at stated intervals from farmers' sales in 70 typical 

 markets hi nine cotton-growing states. These were assembled in 

 Washington, B.C., and were carefully graded and stapled. 



From the samples collected in each state a set of types was made 

 showing each grade from middling fair to good ordinary. This col- 

 lection illustrated the varying qualities produced in these states. It 

 also demonstrated the possibility and feasibility of making a single 

 set of standards to represent all these cottons. It was found that a 

 box of middling cotton, containing 12 types, could include types from 

 the Coastal Plains section of the South Atlantic States of a grayish 

 white color with small or peppery leaf, types of a creamy color from 

 the Piedmont section, pearly white types with larger leaf from the 

 Gulf States, and types of a slightly reddish or dingy color from Texas 

 or Oklahoma. Thus all parts of the cotton belt could be represented, 

 or, in other words, one set of standards could be made representative 

 of all these cottons. There had always been disagreement among 

 cotton men as to the possibility of classifying the cotton from the 

 entire belt by a single set of standards. A large number of dealers 

 always had contended that separate standards must be prepared for 

 Eastern or Upland, Gulf, and Texas cottons. Experience with the 

 permissive standards which the Department of Agriculture had been 

 preparing since 1909 under the authority of the annual appropriation 

 acts had indicated clearly what modifications were necessary hi order 

 that a standard should represent more accurately those qualities 

 which are produced in an average cotton crop. 



The department also had in its possession copies of the proposed 

 International Standards, of the old Liverpool standard, and of local 

 standards from various markets in the South. 



This wealth of valuable material had been accumulated in the 

 course of the department's study of cotton grading and was available 



1 From Service and Regulatory Announcements No. 6, United States Department 

 of Agriculture, pp. 2-3. 



