bales

A term used to denote brown-coloured layers or semi-layers of cotton that appears in American and East Indian bales. The staining is caused by the seed cotton remaining in the unopened pod until it has become saturated by the rain entering at the partly-opened sutures. This saturation of the fibres by moisture causes the colouring matter from the inner membrane of the pod to permeate the fibres. The colouring is of a red or brown shade, and, being transferred to the seed cotton, gives rise to the term of bole or brown-stained. Bleaching removes the stain.

A cotton market term. This term denotes the hard lumps of cotton which are sometimes found in bales, and may be as hard and solid as a stone. The cause is generally through neglect. This fault is not so prevalent as formerly, because spinners usually return the damaged cotton and make a claim. The grower now makes sure that his pressers do their work thoroughly as the damage is done by them.

A type of American upland (G. Hirsutum) obtained direct from Cambodia in 1905. The best is grown in Coimbatore district and West Madura (India). When well grown and properly handled probably the best of Indian cottons. The best irrigated Cambodia is 1¹/₈ in staple. The unirngated frequently only ⁷/₈ in staple annual production irrigated about 120 000 bales, unirngated 50 000. Ginning percentage 33. Suitable for spinning up to 36 s warp. It is uniform in length, creamy fine and strong.

The Indian term for the person engaged for drawing samples of cotton from bales before weighing, by means of a penknife or a hook, for the purpose of comparing same with the quality of cotton tendered.

This state produces more cotton than any other country in Africa, except Egypt, and cotton is the most important crop in the colony. Cotton growing is purely a native industry. The quality is excellent and compares with some of the best American. The native cultivates a quarter to half an acre and sells the cotton to the ginning firms. Improvements in transport by rail and lake will lead to new districts being opened up. The native cultivator is being encouraged to improve his methods of farming. Uganda cotton is 1¹/₂-in to 1³/₁₆-in. in length and is generally worth from 150 to 350 points above the price of American Middling. It is believed that this colony could produce 500,000 bales annually.

Peru produces on an average about 250,000 bales of cotton per annum. There are three varieties grown very different from each other in their general characteristics Peruvian Sea Islands - This is an inferior Sea Islands cotton; and though it has a fairly long staple and a silky appearance it is more irregular, both as to colour and length of staple than the pure Sea Islands grown in the United States It has a length of about 1³/₈-in Rough Peruvian - This is a harsh wiry cotton, with a staple of about 1¹/₄-in. It is an indigenous variety, and is the product of a perennial plant, which attains a height of about 10 feet. On account of its very harsh fibre this cotton is used chiefly or mixing with wool, with which it has some properties in common Smooth Peruvian - Smooth Peruvian is a soft class of cotton, very similar to American from which cotton it is not improbably descended. It constitutes about 70 per cent of the crop. Staple 1¹/₈-in.

American is classed by grades, thus: - G.O. - Good ordinary. S.G.O. - Strict good ordinary. L.M. - Low middling. S.L.M. - Strict low middling. Mid. - Middling. S.M. - Strict middling. G.M. - Good middling. S.G.M. - Strict good middling. M.F. - Middling fair. ▪ Brazilian is classified thus: - Mid. fair. Fair. Good fair. Egyptian is classified: - Pair. Good fair. Fully good fair. Good. Fine. Extra fine. Peruvian is classified: - Mid. fair. Fair. Good fair. Good. Fine. East Indian is classified: - Good fair. Fully good fair. Good. Fully good. Fine. Superfine. Choice. Super choice. East African is classified: - Middling. Middling fair. Fair. Good fair. Good. Fine. Extra fine. West African is classified: - L.M. S.L.M. Mid. S.M. G.M. These are all native seed and S.G.M. American Seed. ▪ Weights of Cotton Bales: - American about 500-lb. per bale. East Indian (hard compressed) about 400-lb. Egyptian (hard compressed) about 730 to 750-lb. Brazilian 180 kg., about 396-lb. Peruvian, about 330-lb.

When a spinner books a large order for yarn, with delivery extending to, say, three or four months, he will base the cost on the days' price of cotton, and to cover himself against loss he ought to buy enough cotton to complete the order. If for some reason he cannot buy all " spot " he will buy " futures " as a cover pure and simple. Suppose 600 bales are required, then he may buy 200 July, 200 August, and 200 September. Thus he does not buy any actual cotton; the deal is only on paper, but the spinner has covered his requirements to complete his order, and at the price quoted when he buys. When he wants the cotton he sells his " futures " and buys " spot " or actual cotton.

The Indian term for the man engaged for bursting open the bales of cotton and repairing same.

Native term in India for loosely packed cotton bales, weighing about 200-lb., in which condition Broach, Coompta, Dharwan and Dhollara cotton is often sent to Bombay, where it is pressed and baled again for export.

A cotton market term. These are bales composed of two or more grades of cotton, generally a thin layer of good cotton (up to the sample) on the outside, and a large proportion of inferior cotton inside. From accident or design the good cotton in a " false pack " is put in the compress (as a rule) in a layer about 6-in. thick, then the inferior cotton is added. Sometimes, but not always, another layer of good cotton is placed on the top, so that whichever side is sampled the bale passes as being right. The fraud is only detected at the mill.

Flax, Broken - Scutched flax which is less than 20-in. long and therefore unfit for hackling in the spinning mill. Flax, C.D. and T. - Graders' marks which denote the type of scutched flax: c (chaine) to represent warps, D (demi) to represent medium warps, and T (trame) to represent wefts. Flax, Green, or Natural - Scutched flax produced from de-seeded straw without any intermediate treatment such as retting. Flax, Line - The hackled flax produced by a hackling machine or hand hackling. A term sometimes erroneously applied to scutched flax. Flax, Retted - Scutched flax produced from straw which has been retted. Usually divided into three main classes, namely, water retted flax, dew retted flax, and chemically retted flax. Flax, Scutched - The product from the delivery end of a scutching machine or from scutching flax straw on a wheel. It consists of the long fibre strands in a parallel condition and substantially free from wood and other extraneous material. The yield of scutched flax is commonly expressed as stones (14-lb.) per acre, but in Ireland it is sometimes expressed as stones per peck of seed sown. The average yield per acre of scutched flax has varied according to year from about 20 stones per acre to 40 stones per acre, with occasional exceptional yields of 80 and 90 stones per acre. Grader, Flax - The man who places the scutched flaxes in their appropriate grades of quality by eye judgment and feel. Grades, Flax - Tank retted flaxes are graded from A through the alphabet in ascending order of value. Dam retted flaxes are graded from 1-7 in descending order of value. Dew retted flaxes are graded 0-6 in descending order of value. Grades, Tow - Green tow is graded 1-8 and then 9a, 9b, Z, Z₂, and beater tow in descending order of value. Tank retted tow is graded I, II, III, 1, 2, 3, 3X, 3XXX, in descending order, whilst dam and dew retted tows are I, II, II, 1, 2, 3. Pluckings - The short, clean fibre produced at the end of the scutching machine where the operatives dress and square the pieces of flax ready for selection. In grading pluckings are classed as tow (q.v.). Root Ends, Straw - The broken-off roots which fall from the straw under the breaking rollers. Rug, Scutching - All the detritus which falls below the two compartments of the scutching machine after the shives have been shaken out of it, or the waste made when producing scutched flax on a wheel. It consists of partly scutched short straws, broken straws, weeds, and beater tow. It is classed as root end rug or top end rug, according to which end of the flax it comes from. Selection - The preliminary sorting of the scutched flax into main grades at the delivery end of the scutching machine. Shives - The short pieces of woody waste beaten from the straw during scutching. Tow - Any substantially clean but tossed and tangled flax fibre of less than scutched flax length. Tow Baling - The operation of making-up tow into bales. Tow, Beater - Short, fine, clean fibres which fall from the last third of the compartments during scutching. Tow, Inferior low grade (Green) - Green tow of a grade lower than 9a. Tow, Inferior low grade (Retted) - Retted tow of a grade lower than 3XXX. Tow, Machine, or Cast - Tow produced by the hackling machine. Tow, Rejected - Tow unsuitable for spinning on flax tow machinery. Tow, Rescutched - Two scutched on tow handles or a tow scutching machine. Tow, Rolled - The product from passing scutching rug through tow rollers and highspeed shaker. Tow, Rolled and Beaten - The product from passing scutching rug through tow rollers and beaters, and a high-speed shaker. The principal flax markets of the world are at Courtrai, Bruges, Ghent, Lokeren and Zele in Belgium; Rotterdam in Holland; Riga in Latvia; Leningrad, Pernau and Witebek in Russia; Douai and Flines in France; Newry, Rathfriland, Strabane, Ballymoney, Lisnaskea, Ballybay and Armagh in Ireland. Courtrai flax is the finest produced. It is uniform in fibre, strong, clean and of a good colour. Yarns up to 200's lea are spun from it. Irish flax comes next in spinning qualities from 90's to 120's lea are produced. As a warp yarn it is much preferred as the strength is greater than other types. Flemish flax is dark in colour, dryer than others, strong, and can be spun up to 120's lea. Dutch flax is clean, good colour and spins into yams up to 90's lea. Russian flax is coarser than the above types and is usually spun up to about 70's lea.

" Star H.I. " Small batches of wool of three bales and under. These are usually sold last at the London Colonial Wool Sales.

A Peruvian variety. ———————— A commercial variety of Brazilian cotton having fibres of varied length, but of good strength. Contains much dirt. The bales are 220-lb. to 330-lb.

Tufts of short wool containing dry vegetable matter. ———————— Damaged or dirty cotton picked off country-damaged portions of the bales (see country-damaged cotton)

A term used in the cotton market denoting that when " sealed samples " are bought, the cotton is somewhere on its journey, the samples having been taken from the actual bales in America and forwarded to the consignee per passenger boat. After a purchase has been made from these samples they are sealed up until the cotton arrives in bulk per cargo boat, then the seals are broken and the samples compared with the consignment.

A term denoting damaged bales which have been repaired and made to look neat and free from visible defects.

Cotton which is on the spot ready for inspection, purchase and delivery. The samples or redraws from the actual bales are available for inspection, and the price is fixed on the spot.

In the terminology of the London wool market " star " or " starred " lots are quantities for disposal separately from the larger parcels. Lots not larger than three bales are marked with a star in the catalogue.

Cotton grown in Surat and the southern part of the Broach district. Its staple is ⁷/₈-in. to ³¹/₃₂-in. and ginning percentage 32. It is tenderable under Hedge Contract No. 2 - Fully Good M.G. Broach Contract. It is suitable for spinning up to 20's/ 24's warp. It gives a blowroom loss of about 6 to 7 per cent. Production is about 80,000 bales. This cotton is remarkable for its bright white colour and silky feel.