6 BULLETIN 4*76, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



if buyers will use proper discrimination in the prices paid for dif- 

 ferent lengths of staple. Production to meet the requirements of 

 State consumption might enable the mills to secure their supplies 

 more economically through, the reduction of freight and other 

 charges, which condition might result in turn in higher prices being- 

 paid locally for cotton. 



RELATIVE MERITS OF CERTAIN PRIMARY MARKETS IN NORTH 



CAROLINA. 



COMPARISON OF PRIMARY MARKETS IN THE COASTAL PLAIN SECTION. 



An effort was made to ascertain the relative importance of certain 

 primary markets in the Coastal Plain section. In order to make the 

 comparison as accurate as possible a record was made of prices re- 

 ceived for unclassed cotton of the same grades on the same dates in 

 any two of the markets. The resulting averages shown in Table III 

 indicate accurately the differences in prices which existed in any 

 two markets. The prices received in Fayetteville. for instance, aver- 

 aged 11.64 cents for cotton of the same grades sold on the same dates 

 which brought 11.67 cents in Ahoskie. Again, the prices received 

 for cotton of the same grades sold on the same dates in Fayetteville 

 and Clinton averaged 11.98 cents and 11.92 cents, respectively. 



A study of this table shows that the average length of staple at a 

 town has no apparent bearing upon its relative merit as a market. 

 As an example, Ahoskie with an average length of staple of less than 

 £ of an inch paid an average of 27 points, or $1.35 per bale, more 

 than Clinton with an average length of staple of 1 inch. 



Special attention is called to the statement for the town of New 

 Berne in Table III and also in Table I. The fact that a superior 

 staple is produced in that section evidently is not known to the pro- 

 ducers and probably not to the local buyers, as the market averages 

 low in price and no distinction is made between different lengths 

 of staple. A study of the record slips showed that cotton only £ of 

 an inch in length of staple in every instance brought as much as cot- 

 ton li and lj\ inches in length of staple, when as a matter of fact 

 the difference in value is from $10 to $15 a bale. 



From the standpoint of price the relative merits of these markets 

 seemingly were : 1st, Fayetteville ; 2d, Ahoskie ; 3d, Kinston ; 4th, 

 Jacksonville; 5th, Selma, 6th, Clinton; 7th. New Berne; 8th, Laurin- 

 burg; 9th, Washington; 10th, Scotland Neck; and 11th, Red Springs. 



