UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



BULLETIN No. 946 



Contribution from the Bureau of Markets 

 GEORGE LIVINGSTON, Chief 



Washington, D. C. 



PROFESSIONAL PAPER 



February 21, 1921 



COMPARATIVE SPINNING TESTS OF MEADE AND 

 SEA ISLAND COTTONS. 



By Wm. It. Meadows, Cotton Technologist, and W. G. Blair., Assistant in Cotton 



Testing. 



CONTENTS. 



Page. 



Introduction 1 



Purpose of the spinning tests 2 



Grade and staple of cotton 2 



Mechanical conditions 3 



Page. 



Percentages of waste 3 



Breaking- strength of yarns 4 



Summary 5 



The ravages of the boll weevil have reduced the annual production 

 of Sea Island cotton in the United States from 92,619 bales in 1917 

 to 6,916 in 1919, and the prospect for the crop of 1920 indicates an 

 even lower figure. From present indications it is feared that the 

 entire industry may be destroyed within the next few years. How- 

 ever, the Bureau of Plant Industry of the United States Department 

 of Agriculture has developed a new variety of cotton which promises 

 to replace the rapidly diminishing Sea Island crop. This new va- 

 riety is known as " Meade." 



The introduction of new varieties of cotton is usually attended with 

 •many difficulties because growers and manufacturers are reluctant 

 to change from a well-known variety which has given satisfactory 

 results for many years to another variety that is in the experimental 

 stage of development. Such was the condition which prevailed at 

 the time that the Meade cotton was first introduced in the Sea Island 

 districts. The principal reason for experimenting with this new 

 variety was to prepare for the damage that was expected would re- 

 sult to Sea Island cotton if the' boll weevil should reach this region. 

 It is thought that Meade has now been established on a commercial 

 basis and that its future production is assured. 



The Meade cotton was developed during 1912 and subsequent years 

 from what was known locally as " Blackseed " or " Black Rattler " 



Note. — This bulletin is of interest to the growers, cotton merchants, dealers, and 

 manufacturers of Meade and Sea Island cottons. 

 27917°— 21 



