38 BULLETIN 277, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF, AGRICULTURE. 
conform to the standards of the underwriters’ association. These 
standards have been worked out very carefully and represent the 
best thought in protecting cotton from both fire and weather at a 
minimum cost. Many millions of dollars have been spent unwisely 
in the construction of warehouses that do not conform to these stand- 
ards. A thorough survey made by this office shows conclusively 
that many of these houses cost more to build than they would if 
they had been made to conform to the recognized standards. - Most 
warehouses, as they are now constructed, are not only subject to 
unnecessarily high insurance rates, but are usually costher than those 
conforming to the standards, and the cost of handling cotton stored 
in them is unnecessarily high. : 
The diagrams in this bulletin should not be treated as plans for 
building. An attempt has been made to outline some of the essen- 
tial features of each type. It is very important that a competent 
architect draw up specifications for any warehouse. While it will be 
necessary to pay a fee for this service, the plans will save a great 
deal in the cost of construction and insurance and add much to the 
value of the storage house by making it possible to handle cotton 
more economically. It is also important to have warehouses prop- 
erly iocated. This is frequently the determining factor between 
success and failure. Many warehouses erected by cooperative organ- 
izations and by others have been so located that they are not avail- 
able to a large majority of the people who frequently wish to store 
cotton. This has resulted in the failure of many such enterprises. 
Farmers should form cooperative organizations for building better 
storage houses where adequate facilities are not available on favor- 
able terms. 
O 
