PRIMARY MARKET PRICES AND QUALITIES OF COTTON. 9 
product. In considering this subject it must be remembered that 
this survey did not embrace the long-staple sections, and its results 
are not representative of conditions as they exist in those commu- 
nities. 
The average staple length, compiled from the 38,000 samples 
collected in the survey, was found to be between fifteen-sixteenths 
of an inch and 1 inch. 
TABLE 3.—Average price for each staple and average staple length * for each State. 
State. a aa 
7 16 8 
1 inch. inches. inches. 
Cents. | Cents.|\ Cents 
GGOrPit eae Pere ee cee aC 13.09 { 13.14 13. 09 
IWORtHCanolitderrs i een ae es 12.58 | 13.30 13.17 
TSYove rr ry tGrrv gC) Brave Wigeiers ce Ses Sy Sage eee 13.11) 13.27 11. 53 
ARES Ses Aya ee Se Bicep Sy ee a 1119] 10.87 10. 94. 
“DRE TAG Gai BateleS e ape ie eee ea Re bal 12.75 
MOOUISIATI ere ee ee ey revs 11.83 | 11.90 12. 87 
BAU Kad eke eee ees RL eee ete a 12.06 | 11.87 12. 57 
PT ISSISSH Deer er ec yee ea 13.01 | 13.13 13.31 
JME SEC sae NS ee eS ele eee 12.91 | 13.06 13. 00 
MV PER? CiprICE MONDE a seme ede os ec M : ,. 12.58 | 12.12 12. 76 
Total number of samples of 
Sachs papies ee = ee ne ne eee 10,084 | 2,275 1,191 
1 These averages relate to white cotton only. However, the average length of staple for the colored cotton 
was practically the same. 
Table 3 shows that length of staple often does not receive proper 
consideration in pricing the farmer’s cotton. A careful study of 
Table 3 will-show that the average price paid for cotton of ?-inch 
staple was as high as that secured by the producer of 1-inch cotton, 
while the latter is worth probably $5 more per bale for spinning pur- 
poses. In this connection it might be well to quote from a recent 
issue of the Farmers’ Market Bulletin, published by the North Caro- 
lina Agricultural Experiment Station in cooperation with the State 
Department of Agriculture and the College of Agriculture, April, 
1916, edition. 
The difference in mill value between different staples varies according to the 
demand and supply. In a section in which the producers know what staple they 
have, they are reported to receive 25 points more for 43-inch staple than {-inch staple, 
which is the basis; 50 points more for 1-inch, 100 points more for 1,4, 250 points more 
for 14, and 400 points more for 1,;-inch staple. According to these figures, a farmer in 
such a section of the country would receive $2.50 more for a 500-pound bale if it were 
1-inch than he would if it had been 37-inch. 
The injustice of the situation is emphasized when it is shown that 
2-nch staple frequently brings the same price as staple of 134g inch, 
and occasionally the same as staple of 1% inch, when, according 
to the statement quoted above, 14 mch is worth $17.50 more than 
#-inch staple. It might be suggested that the difference in favor of 
the #-inch cotton was caused by the fact that shorter staples usually 
