SPINNING TESTS OF MEADE AND SEA ISLAND COTTONS. 5 



that of the Sea Island, regardless of the number of yarn spun. 

 During the season of 1919-20, excessive rains in the Sea Island dis- 

 trict weakened the strength of the fiber of both cottons before they 

 were picked. The Sea Island cotton was apparently affected more 

 than the Meade, as shown by the breaking strengths of the finer 

 numbers. On the coarser numbers, the Sea Island had the greater 

 strength, whereas on the finer numbers, the two varieties were prac- 

 tically equal in strength. 



The Meade cotton grown on clay soil gave a stronger break on 23 's 

 yarn than that grown on the sandy soil, but on the finer numbers, 

 the greater breaking strength was obtained from the Meade grown 

 on sandy soil. 



SUMMARY. 



Meade cotton has been developed as a possible substitute to replace 

 the rapidly diminishing supply of Sea Island cotton. Its length of 

 staple varies from 1^ to If inches, the greater portion being If 

 inches. It matures two to three weeks earlier, gives a greater pro- 

 duction of both lint and seed, and is more easily picked than Sea 

 Island. 



The grade and staple of the Meade and Sea Island cottons tested 

 were practically equal for the seasons of 1916-17 and 1918-19, but 

 were unavoidably different for the season of 1919-20. 



The cotton was run under as nearly identical conditions as pos- 

 sible. 



Averaging the visible waste for the three seasons, it was found 

 that the Meade cotton was 3.50 per cent more wasty than the Sea 

 Island. 



Comparing the breaking strength of the Meade and Sea Island 

 yarns for the three seasons, a difference of 17.2 pounds was found in 

 favor of the Sea Island for the 23's yarn and 1.68 pounds for the 

 100's yarn. Under the adverse weather conditions during the grow- 

 ing season of 1919-20, the breaking strength of the sandy soil Meade 

 was equal to that of the Sea Island for the finer numbers of yarn. 



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