STANDARD GRADES FOR AMERICAN COTTON LINTERS 6 



STAPLE 



In describino; linters the w(jnl staple is used witli leference to the 

 different blends or the preponderance of one or the other of the two 

 types of fiber of whicli linters is composed. While the deirree of in- 

 tensity of the delintin^'- i)rocess and the variations in the total i-e- 

 Fifliial fiber in different lots of seed make possible all (le<rrees in the 

 mixtures or blends of these two types of fiber, each special channel 

 of consumption is very definitely limited to comparatively narrow 

 variations in the blends. 



FOREIGN MATTER 



The quantity of foreign matter in linters is very larjiely controlled 

 by the care exercised in cleaning the seed before delinting. Foreign 

 matter consists chiefiy of broken leaves, motes, sticks, dirt or dust, 

 and particles of the seed coat or hull that have been rasped off* b}' 

 the (It'linting saws. The nature of the foreign matter varies in the 

 different geographic sections in which linters are produced. In 

 southeastern linters the foreign matter is likely to consist chiefly of 

 very fine particles of the seed coat, known as pepper trash. The 

 particles of seed coat or hull in valley linters are usuallv larger than 

 in southeastei-n linters. "Western linters aie usually rather free of 

 pepper trash, but frequently contain more large pieces of hull, broken 

 leaves, etc., than are found in linters from other sections. 



COLOR 



The normal or natural colors of linters are olive and buff, with 

 dilferent shades of the two. During exposure to light the olive 

 coloring sometimes shades off through a deep buff to a light buff. 

 In trade i)arlance these colors are usually spoken of as green, reddish, 

 and cream. Olive prevails in southeastern and valley linters and 

 buff to light buff in western and southwestern linters. Xatuial 

 colors are easily bleached. Other colors also are sometimes found 

 in linters. They, are usually the result of weather damage or 

 fungous staining of the fiber, either while yet on the umlelinted seed 

 or after delinting and baling, through exposure of the bale. Such 

 colors might be called unnatural colors and ai"e difficult oi- inij)ossil)le 

 to bleach. 



CHARACTER 



Character is a term u>ed to cover a combination of iluee elements — 

 maximinn length and uniformity in length of the long fibers, soft- 

 ness or harshness (resiliency) of the mass of fibers as a whole, and 

 pjjiness. Character in linters is appaiciitly sec- 



imiers in soilness, hut are smoother and less ne|)py. l lie long niters 

 are inteiinetjiate in length between western and valley linters. and 

 are uniform in length. In general both vallev and westei-n 

 linters appear to be a homogeneous mixture or blending of the long 



