PRODUCTION GF AMERICAN EGYPTIAN COTTON. 9 
the United States is practically free from Hindi contamination, and 
the pink bollworm has not yet found its way into Arizona and Cali- 
fornia. ; 
In the matter of transportation the Egyptian cotton crop enjoys 
certain natural advantages over the product of the new American 
industry. It also has the advantage of long-standing occupation of 
the market and of a well-organized, though rather expensive, system 
of commercial distribution. 
The entire Egyptian crop is assembled in Alexandria, where it is 
sorted, classed, compressed, and forwarded. Practically none of the 
cotton is manufactured locally. This centralization of the marketing 
business permits, though it does not insure, efficiency and economy 
in the handling of the product. The freight rates from Alexandria 
to manufacturing centers, transportation being by water, are low in 
comparison with the rates from Arizona, which include a long rail 
shipment. Freight rates, particularly ocean freight rates, are sub- 
ject to continual fluctuations, but it is probable that previous to the 
outbreak of the war the rates from Arizona and California! to 
manufacturing points in New England were about three times as 
high as those from Egypt to the same points. Under present con- 
ditions, however, the cost of shipment from Arizona is probably 
lower than from Egypt. 
The large volume of the Egyptian crop and the centralized methods 
of handling also permit a standardization of types and a system of 
future selling against these types which are very important com- 
mercial advantages. To find favor in the market a consignment of 
cotton must not only show good grade and staple, but must rep- 
resent a type which has had its merit established through actual 
use. A manufacturer having determined what types of cotton meet 
his particular requirements will endeavor to duplicate these types 
in his annual purchases. For this reason Egyptian brokers establish 
definite types and maintain them from year to year. This system of 
dealing on types is possible with the Egyptian crop in spite of the 
continued deterioration of the varieties, because each broker has a 
large volume of cotton offered to him at Alexandria from which to 
select his stocks. } 
The American growers will need to recognize this feature of the 
market for Egyptian cotton if they expect to secure full value for 
their product. While the American crop remains small, it is of the 
utmost importance that the quality be kept uniform from year to 
year. 
1The Arizona cotton is usually shipped by rail to Galveston, Tex., and thence by 
water to New England. The freight rate on baled cotton from Salt River Valley points 
to New England is about $1.30 per 100 pounds, this rate including the charge for com- 
pressing in transit. 
(7714°—_19—Bull, 742-2 . 
