2 BULLETIX 359^ U. S. DEPAETMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



PURPOSE OF THE SPINNING TESTS. 



Because of the remarkable increase in the production of this cotton, 

 it has seemed advisable to accumulate reliable data relative to the 

 character of Ai'izona-Egyptian cotton for manufacturing purposes. 

 This cotton closely resembles the Sakellaridis Egyptian cotton in 

 color, character, and length of fiber and in many respects compares 

 favorably with the Sea Isla^nd cotton of Georgia and Florida. Spin- 

 ning tests have been conducted by the Department of Agriculture to 

 develop information along the following lines: First, the different 

 grades of i:Vrizona-Eg5'ptian cotton were compared with each other 

 as to their spinnmg qualities, vi^, waste, tensile strength, bleaching, 

 mercerization, dyeing and finishing qualities; and, second, the 

 Aiizona-Egyptian cotton was compared with Sakellaridis Egyptian 

 and Sea Island cottons. 



As these cottons can be substituted for each other to some extent 

 in the manufacture of certain classes of goods, it is believed that 

 reliable spinning tests will prove of general interest in bringing out 

 the individual merits of these varieties. 



Tests ^ were conducted on the 1914 crop during the summer of 1915 

 on the following lots of cotton, namely, four bales of Arizona-Egyptian 

 cotton — one of each of the grades, Extra, Choice, Standard, and 

 Medium; three bales of Sakellaridis Egyptian cotton, shipped from 

 Alexandria, Egypt, marked AIERR, COXN, and EDM, of the grades 

 Good, Fully Good Fair, and Fair; and two bales of Sea Island cotton 

 shipped from Blackshear, Ga., of the grades Fancy and Extra Choice. 

 The bales of Sea Island cotton originated no doubt in the interior 

 and were slightly different in character from the longer length staples 

 of Sea Island cottons grown on the islands and the coast. One 

 hundred pounds of each of these bales were used in making the tests. 



MECHANICAL CONDITIONS. 



In each test the cotton was opened and left standing overnight 

 before bemg fed into the first machine. The machines were kept in 

 good working order and sufficient time was taken between each run 

 to clean them thoroughly. Total weights were taken immediately 

 before and after the cotton was fed into the opener, finisher, cards 

 and combers, respectively. Each kind of cotton up to the slubber 

 was run through the same machines and subjected to practically the 

 same speeds, settings, drafts, etc. In the manufacture of yarn, num- 

 bers lO's, 20's, 30's, 40's, 50's, 60's, 80's and lOO's, from each kind of 

 cotton, the same weight of lap and sliver was used up to the slubber. 

 This was done in order to have the cleaning machinery operate under 



1 Through the courtesy of Mr. William E. Hatch, President, these tests were conducted at the New 

 Bedford Textile School, Xew Bedford, Mass., under the supervision of Mr. Fred Taylor. Mr. W. S. Dean 

 was directly in charge of the work, assisted by Messrs. J. J. W. Cooper and T. C. Adams. 



