' UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
CHARLES J. BRAND, Chief 
Washington, D. C. A November 24, 1916 
RELATION BETWEEN PRIMARY MARKET PRICES 
AND QUALITIES OF COTTON. 
By Frep Taytor, Cotton Technologist. 
CONTENTS. 
\ Page Page, 
PNGEOUMMCLION Si osen inc tiiacine deldisccccecseccese Les OUNG-1Ob?? SAlOS# ie 55. oe oc coc see eee sone 7 
Method of investigation..................2-- 2 | Average staple lengths and average prices for 
Average prices of cotton by months for the each length of staple for the different States 
States covered by the survey.............. 2 and for theientire belt: ccc sk esse esc c ce 8 
Variations in the price of middling cotton in Marketing tinged and stained cotton........ 10 
the same market on the same day in differ- Suggested economies in handling and mar- 
ent States in the cotton belt....-.........- 6 Kobimg, COLLOID. Re be a aaa eee) roa 12 
INTRODUCTION. 
Producers of cotton have claimed for years that certain markets 
have discriminated against their product and that frequently within 
the same market intrinsie worth was disregarded and cotton was pur- 
chased on averages, all grades bringing the same price. That such a 
system works to the detriment of the farmer who exercises care in pro- 
ducing and harvesting his crop is generally admitted. To discover, if 
possible, whether there was any foundation for such reports the Depart- 
ment of Agriculture in 1912-13 conducted a survey of Oklahoma ! to 
secure accurate information as to the exact conditions under which 
the farmer of the western belt marketed his cotton. 
So many interesting and unusual conditions were revealed by this 
survey that the Office of Markets and Rural Organization started an 
investigation in the season of 1913-14 to cover the entire cotton belt, 
for the purpose of ascertaining the manner in which cotton is handled 
Note.—The survey here described, which should be of interest to all who are connected with the cot- 
ton industry, was supervised by Fred Taylor, Cotton Technologist; and the grading and stapling was 
done by D.C. Griffith, Investigator in Cotton Marketing; J. G. Martin, Investigator in Cotton Marketing; 
and R. W. Murray, formerly Assistant in Cotton Marketing. The period covered by this study was prior 
to the date when the cotton futures act became effective. 
1 Sherman, W. A., Taylor, Fred, and Brand, CharlesJ. Studies of Primary Cotton Market Conditions in 
Oklahoma, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Bulletin No. 36, 1913. 
61288°—Bull. 457—16 
