2 MISC. PUBLICATION 10, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 



poveinin*; their cuttinf? or recovery, and the entire crop was re(iui- 

 sitioned for war uses. The croj) of 1916-17 amounted to 1,273,345 

 bales vahied at $45,11)3,000, and that of 1917-18 to 1,080,802 bales 

 vahied at $20,004,000. To meet war requirements and in the absence 

 of standards as a jruide, the intensity of tlie delintinji processes was 

 inciH'asod without knowledire of the pr(jl)able resuUs. At the sudden 

 termination of hostilities, the War Department found that it had on 

 hand a j^reat confusion of (|ualiti('s of lintci-s. in enormous (piantities 

 and with little peace-time value. The AVar Industries Board imme- 

 diately requested that a study of the situation be made with a view to 

 the establishment of standard <rrades. Studies were promptly under- 

 taken by the Department of Ajj^riculture, and four tentative jrrades 

 wei-e i^roposed. In the meantime, however, the sujiply on hand had 

 been dis]:)osed of by tlie AVar Depai'tment, and the cvop and its value 

 had di-opjied to 122.22(; Ixilcs worth only $3,506,000. Interest in the 

 subject for the time beinf^ was lost. 



INDUSTRY REQUESTS STANDARDS 



AVith the crop of 1923-24, however, production of linters had in- 

 creased to 642.384 bales worth over $22,000,000 and the industry it- 

 self revived the question, which took the form of a resolution by the 

 Interstate Cotton Seed Crushers' Association in annual convention in 

 New Orleans, May, 1924. In this resolution the Secretary of A<rri- 

 culture was reque.-ted to renew the study of the commodity with a 

 view to the establishment of standard *rrades. The.se studies were 

 be<run in July, 1024, and were followed alon<r three lines: (1) The 

 requirements and preferences of the consumers of linters; (2) the 

 metho Is of <rra(lin^ and marketinij linters used by dealers, brokers, 

 and a<fents: and (3) the methods of delintint; or recoverinfr linters 

 and the possibilities of controlling the quality of linters by mechani- 

 cal adjustments of the delinting apparatus. These studies were im- 

 measurably facilitated by the hearty cooperation that was given by 

 all branches of the industry, producers, middlemen, and con.';umers. 

 To assist the department in the work, the Interstate Cotton Seed 

 Crushers' A.ssociation appointed the following connnittee on the 

 standardization of linters: A. K. Burrow of Memphis, Tenn., chair- 

 man, T. ,J. Kidd of liirmiuirham, Ala., Edgar L. Pearson of Hous- 

 ton, Te.x., S. W. Wilbor of Paris, Tex., P. H. Lamar of Atlanta, Ga., 

 and J. H. Turberville of Jackson, Mi.ss. 



This cimimittee was supplemented by A. A. Taylor of Lockland, 

 Ohio, representing the Better Bedding Alliance of America and I), 

 (jr. Kobson of Memphis. Tenn., representing the American Cotton 

 Linters Association. 



DEFINITIONS OF TERMS 



Two conclusions were i-eached from these studies: (1) That linters 

 is a commixture of two types of libers — the long, usually soft or 

 flaccid libers that may have esca|)e(l removal during ginning, and 

 the very short, more deeply colored fibers or fuzz that are found 

 more or less densely matted about the seed coat at the ba.se of the 

 long fibers of American upland varieties of cotton; (2) that there 

 are four factors influencing the grade or value of linters — staple, 

 foreign matter, color, and character. 



