MEADE COTTOlSr EEPLACHSTG sea ISLAlsTD. 23 



without disturbing the conditions under which that cotton was pro- 

 duced and marketed. 



The harvesting and ginning of Meade cotton should be done with 

 the same care and in the same manner as for Sea Island cotton if com- 

 parable returns are to be expected. AVlien so harvested and ginned 

 the Meade cotton causes no change in the customs of the Sea Island 

 markets and is readily accepted on a par with Sea Island cotton. 



So closely does the Meade fiber resemble the Sea Island that it can 

 not be distinguished except by experts, and it has been sold on the 

 regular Sea Island markets at a premium over the Sea Island fiber. 



Profitable crops of Meade cotton have been produced in the presence 

 of the boll weevil, and comparative experiments indicate that this 

 new long-staple variety is as early and as prolific as the short-staple 

 cottons that are now being grown in the South Atlantic coast districts. 



Some difficulty has been experienced with the ginning of Meade 

 cotton because of the failure of the large seeds of this variety to pass 

 through the seed grids of the Sea Island gins as rapidly as the Sea 

 Island seeds, consequently slowing down the ginning process. To 

 meet this difficulty a new seed grid has been manufactured and placed 

 on the market, designed especially to handle the large Meade seeds. 

 This grid can be adjusted to the regular Sea Island gins. It is also 

 possible to use the old grids successfully by moving them back from 

 the hacker bar oncrhalf to three-fourths of an inch. 



The production and maintenance of an adequate supply of pure 

 seed is the most acute problem confronting the growers of Meade 

 cotton at this time. Communities of farmers are being encouraged 

 to organize for the purpose of growing only Meade cotton and to 

 keep up the standard of the variety by continued selection and care- 

 ful ginning on a locally controlled gin. Such organizations can mar- 

 ket their crops more directly in large lots of uniform fiber, and better 

 prices can be obtained. Communities organized to grow Meade cot- 

 ton are more necessary than with Sea Island because Upland hy- 

 brids can be easily recognized in Sea Island cotton while Upland 

 hybrids in Meade cotton are difficult to distinguish, so that the pre- 

 caution of isolating the fields from any possible contamination with 

 short cotton is even more important than when the Sea Island cot- 

 ton was grown. 



The only other solution of the problem seems to lie along the lines 

 that have been followed for years in connection with the Sea Island 

 industry ; that is, a few of the more intelligent farmers with private 

 ginning equipment must produce sufficient seed to supply the whole 

 section. Until the organization of communities is effected the latter 

 method seems to offer the better prospects of success, for several of 

 the larger growers of Meade cotton have already installed or intend 

 to install complete ginning equipment for the exclusive handling of 

 this variety. 



