18 BULLETIN 332, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



In view of the uncertainties attending the marketing of long- staple 

 cotton from a new locality, brokers are not likely to risk paying what 

 they believe to be the full value of the crop if asked to take it un- 

 classed in round lots, as it comes from the gin. For that matter, 

 even when they have the advantage of a well-established market, 

 farmers would probably benefit by holding their cotton in storage 

 until it can be classed into even-running lots and sold with the least 

 element of risk to the cotton merchant or the spinner. 



The associated growers in the Salt River Valley have met this 

 problem of financing the crop by a plan of community credit. Ar- 

 rangements were made with local banks to secure the necessary 

 funds. Each bale of cotton, as soon as it was ginned, was placed in 

 storage and a receipt was issued against it, these receipts being used 

 as collateral for loans through the association. In this way it was 

 possible for the grower to secure money to defray his expenses for 

 picking and ginning without losing possession of his cotton until it 

 was finally sold to the manufacturer. In the absence of such a sys- 

 tem of community credit, it probably would have been necessary for 

 the grower to sell his cotton as soon as it was ginned for whatever 

 price he could obtain. 



GINNING IN RELATION TO PRODUCTION. 



The roller gin which is used for Egyptian cotton can not be oper- 

 ated as rapidly or as cheaply as the saw gin which is used for Upland 

 cotton. The charge ordinarily made for ginning Egyptian cotton in 

 the Salt River Valley is $10 per bale, which is more than twice as 

 much as is charged for ginning Upland cotton in the South. The 

 actual cost of ginning Egyptian cotton in Arizona is probably less 

 than the figure specified, and is likely to be materially reduced 

 through the adoption of certain improvements in the machinery. 



Instead of depending upon custom ginning, two of the associations 

 of cotton growers in the Salt River Valley operate their own plants. 

 The experience of these farmers, which is in accord with that of 

 farmers in the eastern cotton belt, indicates that the best results are 

 obtained when the ginning is under the control of the producers. 

 The market value of cotton may be very greatly reduced by careless 

 ginning, and when the gin operator has no other interest than to 

 secure the largest possible outturn, the commercial value of the prod- 

 uct is likely to be impaired. 



Cotton ginning is a technical operation, which requires experience 

 and skill to secure the best results. The cooperative ownership and 

 management of a gin by the growers does not in itself insure capable 

 and efficient management, but it does afford the owners of the crop 

 an opportunity to insist upon the work being properly done. This 



