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



fibers and fuzz. Soutlieastern linters are distinctly different in this 

 respect from linters produced in the other two regions, having a 

 filamentous appearance as if made up of fine laminations of the 

 lon<r fibers and the fuzz. In the trade the three characters of linters 

 are described simply as ''.southeastern," "valley,"' and "western." 



AVhile the color of linters and the character are both usually asso- 

 ciated with certain sections which mifiht be rou^jhlv described as 

 southeastern, valley, and western, at times linters of the character 

 and color usually associated with one section may be produced in 

 another .section. 



CUTTING 



Reginnini^, or delinting, is more generally spoken of as " cutting." 



FIRST CUTS 



Cuts langiuL' from 20 to 50 pounds per ton of seed have generally 

 become known as " first cuts " or '* first-cut linters." 



MILL RUNS 



Cuts ranging from about 35 to 100 pounds or more per ton of 

 seed are known as " mill runs " or " mill-run linters." 



SECOND CUTS 



After a first cutting, especially if not over 3.5 pounds per ton of 

 seed have been removed in the first delinting, the seed are frequently 

 passed through the linter machine a second time. The linters thus 

 recovered are known as " second cuts." The total amount of linters 

 cut ranges from about 30 pounds to as high as 200 pounds per ton 

 of seed. 



HULL FIBER 



It has not been found generally economical to attempt a complete 

 denuding of the seed preparatory to crushing. A heavy cut mill run 

 or a second cut is usually sullicient for practical purposes. This 

 leaves a portion of the fuzz still attached to the seed coats or hulls 

 when the seed ai-e decorticated and the kernels and hulls .separated. 

 The tlemand for cellulose has been so acute in recent years that a 

 number of mills have installed special apparatus for recovering the 

 fiber from the hulls, after decortication. Linters of this type of 

 fiber have become known generally as " hull fiber." 



GRADES PROPOSED 



With this information the department constructed seven tentative 

 grades. These grades were based chiefly on the different Idends of 

 the two types of fibers and combined in each grade sami)les of such 

 different blends as are usually baled tf)gether in well-m:in:iged mills, 

 are within tlie possibilities of conti'ol by mechanical adjustments or 

 the delinting a])paratus, and meet the special requirements of con- 

 sumption. Each grade was made up of 12 samples in the normal 

 colors of linters. The three .sectional characters were represented by 

 the same four samples in each box, and foreign matter was .shown 

 of the usual sectional nature and in an amount not easily removed 

 and usually to be found in lintei's carefully cut and baled. 



In this manner each box of 12 samples I'epresenting a sinf,d6 giade 

 of linters was made to embody, as nearly as possible, the ideals of the 

 consumers and the possibilities of the producers. One grade, for 



