374 SOUTHERN FIELD CROPS 



In years when continued rains occur during the fall, 

 the crop may consist largely of the following still lower 

 grades : — 



Strict low middhng, 



Low middling. 



The grade of cotton is determined by a number of con- 

 siderations, which have somewhat different weights in 

 different markets. In general, the grade depends prin- 

 cipally upon (1) the abundance of trash, (2) the color of 

 the fiber, and (3) the amount of " nep," or tangled, im- 

 mature fibers. In general, the grades from best to lowest 

 are supposed to express in some measure a decreasing 

 percentage of waste material in spinning. 



The preferred color is snow white or slightly creamy, 

 that is, with the faintest suggestion of a yellowish cast. 

 In this matter of color, different markets vary. All mar- 

 kets, however, rate low the samples of cotton which pos- 

 sess even the faintest suggestion of blue, which is a qual- 

 ity usually due to long exposure of the open cotton to the 

 weather, and hence an indication of weakness of fiber. 



Strange as it may seem, length of fiber does not usually 

 greatly influence the grade. But this does determine 

 the price ; length of staple is considered as " spinning 

 quality " or " character," and is independent of the grade. 

 Thus there is middling cotton of the ordinary short-staple 

 kind, middling " benders," and middling long staple, the 

 three selHng at widely different prices. 



347. Tinges and stains. — If hnt cotton shows patches 

 of faint color, it is designated as " tinged " ; if the color 

 is decided and distinct, it is classed as " stained." Both 



