4 BULLETIN 146^ U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
not only for their immediate needs, but in many cases for 6, 8, and 
12 months in advance, thus closing the usual outlet for Sea Island. 
There is no doubt that spinners felt that they had a just cause of 
complaint against the holders of Sea Island cotton, and that they 
acted more or less in the same way in protecting themselves from the 
danger which seemed to them to threaten their business, bu,t sufficient 
evidence has not developed to sustain the charge that spinners 
united to fix prices. From their point of view, the spinners had 
Egyptian cotton offered in quantities to supply their year's needs 
and at prices and on terms more satisfactory than those offered by 
the holders of Sea Island, so the spinners bought the Egyptian cotton 
and left the holders of Sea Island free to find whatever market they 
could for their commodity. This market did not develop before the 
end of the season, September 1, 1913, and in spite of the short crop 
of only 73,777 bales, more Sea Island cotton than ever before was 
carried over into the new crop year. 
(2) Tlie competition of Sdkellaridis. — Aside from any hitch in the 
usual methods of buying and selling Sea Island such as occurred 
during 1912-13, it was bound to meet sooner or later the competition 
of the new Egyptian variety known as Sakellaridis. This variety is 
more similar to Sea Island than are most other varieties of Egyptian 
cotton, and is more vigorous and productive than Sea Island. Its 
staple is about Ih inches in length, and it is comparatively uniform; 
it is somewhat coarser than Sea Island and does not mercerize as 
well; it is harsher and less elastic, but it has fully as much strength 
as a good quality of Georgias and is decidedly stronger than the 
lower grades of American Sea Island. Where strength is the chief 
element to be desired in a yarn or cloth, as in sewing thread or tire 
cloth, Sakellaridis seems now to be preferred, but in mercerized goods 
and in high-grade hosiery and underwear Sea Island is still commonly 
used. At the beginning of the deadlock in November, 1912, Sakel- 
laridis was about 2 cents cheaper than Sea Island ; on August 30, 1 913, 
it was being quoted at 3 cents above Georgias and Floridas. The 
following are some of the reasons given by spinners for preferring 
Sakellaridis to Sea Island: 
(a) It is manufactured with less waste than the corresponding 
grade of Sea Island, usually some 4 or 5 per cent. 
(Jo) It works better in the card room, but some spinners claim that 
this advantage is offset by less production in the spinning room. 
(c) It makes stronger yarn and stronger cloth. 
{d) It is bought on a net weight basis, and is paid for 10 days after 
the receipt of the cotton. Sea Island is sold on gross weight and 
usually f. o. b. cars at southern markets, with sight draft attached to 
invoice. This results in its being paid for about 30 days before it is 
received at the New England mills. 
