2 BULLETIN 1438, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
" Weather damage/' as here used, means damage resulting to the 
cotton fibers on account of an excess of moisture. The fibers first 
become discolored from mildew and, when this condition is not cor- 
rected, they decay. Cotton frequently " weather damages" in the 
field before it is picked and when stored in the seed or left on the 
ground after picking it may be seriously damaged by an excess of 
moisture. Likewise, bales that are sound and dry when put up at 
the gin will become damaged if they are excessively wet when 
compressed. 
Losses from various causes, including weather damage, are some- 
times referred to as "country damage;" for example, the mutilation 
of bales by excessive sampling, tearing the bagging while handling 
the bales, etc. It seems that the expression originated at the ports 
and was used in a broad way to designate any damage that might 
have occurred to the cotton before it reached the port. This damage 
might have occurred on the plantation, at the gin, on the cotton 
yard, at the local warehouse or compress, in transit, or even at the 
ports themselves. The use of the term "country damage" should 
be discouraged, for it is indefinite and misleading, and it has a 
tendency to reflect unduly on the farmer, who frequently is not 
responsible for the damage to the cotton. 
To protect cotton from weather damage, it is of the greatest possible 
importance that the bales be kept from contact with the ground or 
any other moist object. Cotton should be thoroughly matured and 
dried out before it is ginned. If cotton is ginned while wet, the 
staple will probably be "gin cut" and otherwise damaged, and the 
resulting bale will have an excess of moisture. This will probably 
result in serious damage to the bale. When it is impossible to place 
the cotton in a warehouse immediately, the bales should be placed 
on poles and turned often. 
CAUSES OF WEATHER DAMAGE 
There are two stages or degrees of weather damage : (1) The cotton 
becomes mildewed. In this stage the fiber is not necessarily materi- 
ally weakened, but the chief damage lies in the lowering of the grade 
because of the stain or discoloration which reduces its value. (2) 
The second stage is reached when the effect is sufficiently serious to 
cause decay of the fiber by fungi. Decay seriously weakens the fiber 
and reduces its spinning value. If the process of decay is permitted 
to continue very long, the fibers lose both their individuality and 
their spinning value. 
There is a noticeable seasonal variation in weather damage. Dur- 
ing reasonably cold weather there is comparatively little decay in 
baled lint cotton. But as warm weather approaches, bales of cotton 
that have been permitted to absorb moisture begin to damage very 
rapidly unless they are promptly and thoroughly dried out. Con- 
sequently, the most serious damage occurs in warm weather. 
WET SEED COTTON 
The original source of weather damage may sometimes be traced 
to moisture in seed cotton. Occasionally, when picking cotton, 
many "green" bolls (bolls that have not dried out since opening) are 
picked. Such damp or green bolls have an excess of moisture; and 
