SERVICES IX COTTOX MARKETING 9 
On August 18. 1914. the United States passed what is known as 
the United States cotton futures act. This act provided, among 
other things, for the esablishment and promulgation of ;i official 
cotton standards of the United States'* to be used on the future 
exchanges and the bona fide spot markets. In making up these 
standards, two objects were kept in mind : The correct representa- 
tion of all American cotton, and the suitability of the standards 
for international use. The new standards were favorably received 
in the European exchanges but never formally adopted by them. 
The standards for the nine white grades of cotton were officially 
promulgated by the Secretary of Agriculture on December 15. 1914. 
Standards were promulgated for color in 1916, covering yellow- 
tinged, yellow-stained, and blue-stained cotton. In 1918, grades for 
sea island and American Egyptian cotton were promulgated, based 
on former commercial classification and designated as Xos. 1, 2, etc., 
and at the same time the official cotton standards for length of staple 
were promulgated. In 1921 the order of the Secretary of Agricul- 
ture was amended to provide for the issuance of practical forms for 
12 of the staple lengths. They are : %, >/ 8 , 1, 1 T V, iy 8 , lAi 1%, **> 
1%, iy 2 . 1%, and 1%. The length {% was added by an order dated 
September 18, 1924, and on July 31, 1925, an order was signed, 
effective August 1, 1926, to provide for the issuance of practical 
forms for the following IT lengths of American Upland cotton : %, %, 
if, 1, 1A, 1 T V, 1%, 1A, IfV, 1 A, 1%, 1A, 1*, Uh 1%, and 1% : and 
for 4 lengths of American Egyptian cotton — V/ 2 , 1 T \, 1%, and 1%. 
In 1923 a conference was called in "Washington to consider the 
question of universal standards. The result of these negotiations 
between representatives of European exchanges, American ex- 
changes, and the United States Department of Agriculture was the 
adoption in July, 1923, of the official cotton standards of the United 
States as universal standards for grade only, effective until August 1, 
1924. The foreign delegates at the time requested that certain 
changes be made in some of the grades. Accordingly, a conference 
was called for July 17, 1923, to consider the proposed changes. A 
compromise agreement was reached on July 19, 1923. The standards 
adopted at this conference became the universal standards for Ameri- 
can cotton August 1, 1924. The Secretary of Agriculture promul- 
gated them as the official cotton standards of the United States 
effective on that date. By agreement no change will be made in the 
universal standards without the consent of all contracting parties 
and after one year's notice of such change. 
The grade of cotton at present is determined by (1) the quantity 
and kind of foreign matter in it: (2) its color, to a limited extent; 
and (3) its preparation. These elements may be in slightly different 
proportions in any one grade. Thus if the color is slightly better 
than that required for a Middling bale it compensates for a little 
excess trash, and the bale is classed as Middling. 8 The box contain- 
ing the 12 samples for each standard grade represents the range in 
both the combination of grade factors and the extremes of each 
factor. 
The color enters into cotton classing in a double capacity. It is an 
element in determining the grade in both the white and the colored 
s U. S. Dept. Agr., Cir. No. 278, 1924, pp. 14-15. 
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