COTTON. 97 



middling; the fourth, good middling; the fifth, fully good middling; 

 and the sixth, middling fair, or the highest class and the longest staple 

 of American cotton officially quoted. On 14th January 1899 the above 

 grades were quoted at 2ffd., 2f|d., 3^_d., 3^d., 3J|d., and 3id. 



Egyptian cottons are chiefly quoted under four or five grades, viz., Fr., 

 G.F., F.G.F., and Gd. The first or lowest quality indicates fair staple ; 

 the second, good fair ; the third, fully good fair ; and the fourth, good or 

 the best. Between the grades fully good fair and good there is often 

 an intermediate grade adopted by the brokers, which is styled extra 

 F.G.F., or well-up staples. 



The quotation prices on the 14th January 1899 were as follows : First, 

 4y^d. nominal ; the latter term indicates a scarcity for a time in the 

 market. The second grade was quoted at 5d. ; third, 5|d. ; and the 

 fourth grade, 5 T 5 ^d. 



East Indian cottons are more finely quoted than those from other 

 countries, as follows : F.F., F.G., F.G.F., Gd., F.G., Fine, S.fine. The 

 first is fully fair ; second, fully good ; third, fully good fair ; fourth, 

 good ; fifth, fully good ; sixth, fine ; seventh, superfine. The quotation 

 prices of these cottons on the date previously mentioned were as follows 

 (taking the Bhownuggar variety of cotton as an example) : The first 

 grade was not quoted ; the second was 2Jd. nominal ; third, 2f d. nominal ; 

 fourth, 2f d. nominal ; fifth, 2|f d. nominal ; and the sixth was not quoted, 

 so that Bhownuggar East Indian cotton was scarce in the market on 

 the date previously mentioned. 



Brazilian cottons have a fewer number of quotations in grade price 

 than those from other countries ; generally they are given as follows : 

 M.F., Fair, G.F. ; indicating, first, middling fair ; second as given ; and 

 third, good fair. The quotation prices on the date previously mentioned 

 were, first, 3 T \d. ; second, 3 T 9 F d. ; third, 3f d. 



The grade quotations for the Sea Islands cottons are as follows: 

 Ord., Com., Med., Good Med., Med., Med. Fine, Fine, Extra Fine. 

 Briefly, the terms may be explained thus : Ordinary, Common, Medium, 

 Good Medium, Medium, Medium Fine, Fine, and Extra Fine. The first- 

 named is the lowest-priced staple, and the highest priced is the Extra 

 Fine. The ruling prices of these high-classed stapled cottons on the 19th 

 of January 1899 were quoted thus : Ordinary and Common were scarce, 

 and no price was given in the Cotton Brokers' Circular ; Medium, 9d. ; 

 Good Medium, 9Jd. ; Medium Fine, lOd. ; Fine, lljd; Extra Fine. 12d. 



The commercial character and value of cotton fibres vary according 

 to the country in which they are grown. Egyptian cottons are of two 

 principal kinds, viz., the long-stapled Brown Egyptian and the white or 

 rough Egyptian. 



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