The final report of the 1997 crop season shows a total of 17,575,840 bales of classed upland cotton. In comparison to the 1996 crop, there has been an increase of more than two percent of this year's white grade cotton. The strength average for 1997 remains above the level of the previous year. Staple length and micronaire averages are comparable to 1996.
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2nd part of Quality Summary Table

	MIC	LEN	LUI	STR	TRASH	MAT	FIN	LGRD	NO.	LEN
	unit	32/in	(%)	g/t	(%)	RATIO	mtex	INDEX	BALES	inch
Florence, SC	4.50	34.8	81.4	27.8	0.4	0.9	186	3.1	1,427,816	1.09
Macon, GA	4.40	34.6	81.0	28.1	0.5	0.9	176	2.8	1,901,406	1.08
Birmingham,AL	4.10	35.3	81.1	28.8	0.4	0.9	169	3.2	617,970	1.10
Rayville, LA	4.60	35.5	81.7	28.9	0.4	1.0	186	3.0	1,022,135	1.11
Memphis, TN	4.40	36.1	82.1	28.5	0.5	0.9	187	3.4	1,552,180	1.13
Dumas, AR	4.40	36.5	82.0	28.8	0.4	N/A	N/A	3.4	650,483	1.14
Dumas, (MS)	4.40	36.1	82.0	28.8	0.4	0.0	0	2.4	1,614,821	1.13
Hayti, MO	4.40	36.2	82.0	28.5	0.5	0.9	185	3.5	753,003	1.13
C. Christi, TX	4.40	34.1	81.5	28.1	0.2	0.9	177	2.5	634,431	1.07
Abilene, TX	4.20	33.9	80.6	29.0	0.3	1.0	174	2.9	1,173,688	1.06
Lubbock, TX	3.90	33.8	81.0	29.1	0.4	0.9	163	3.5	2,626,232	1.06
Lamesa, TX	4.00	34.2	80.9	29.4	0.3	0.9	166	3.1	719,282	1.07
Phoenix, AZ	4.50	35.4	80.7	27.9	0.2	1.0	184	2.4	974,989	1.11
Visalia, CA	4.20	36.4	82.3	31.8	0.2	1.0	167	2.5	1,907,404	1.14
AVERAGE	4.29	35.1	81.5	28.9	0.4	0.9	169	3.0	17,575,840	1.10
Classing Week Ending - Final Report								FIBER QUALITY RESEARCH

Graphic Property Comparisons to this time last year by Classing Office
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click on image for full view
click on image for full view

Legend: The upper portion of each chart lists, by classing office, the percentage of bales that were placed in various grades by the classers. The "White Grades" section has three columns that give the percentages of bales placed into grades 21 and higher (MID+), grades 40 and 41 (SLM), and grades 50 through 71 (LM-). The "TOTal" column gives the total percentage of bales classified as "white" at each classing office. The "Light Spotted Grades" section gives percentages of bales classified into groups 12, 22, and 32 (MID+), 42 (SLM), and 52 through 62 (LM-). The "TOTal" column gives the total percentage of bales classified as "Light Spotted" at each classing office. The "Other Grades" column includes all bales at each classing office that were classed as "Spotted", "Tinged", "Yellow Stained", or "Below Grade". The "% Barky Grades" column lists the percentage of bales from each classing office contained bark.

In 1993, the classer grading system was changed. Under the old system of grading, the classer determined a composite grade of color and trash content; and bales that contained bark and grass were reduced one or more grade levels. Under this system, the classer determines a color grade, a leaf (trash) grade and notes whether there is bark or grass present in the bale without any reduction in grade. Each color grade percentage will include all levels of leaf. For example, the 52.6% of the bales classed in Florence, SC in 1994 with SLM white color grade includes all bales at all leaf levels (2-7 leaf) with SLM white color.

The lower portion of the chart lists average physical properties at each classing office. Micronaire (MIC), length (LEN), length uniformity index (LUI), strength (STR) and TRASH are measurements taken by the High Volume Instruments (HVI). The TRASH measurement is an estimate of the percent of the surface of the sample covered by the trash. The maturity ratio and fineness data are derived from random samples submitted each week by classing office and tested using the Shirley Fineness and Maturity Tester (FMT).

The number of bales graded at each classing office is also given. Due to classing office consolidation, data for the Dumas office are listed by state (Arkansas and Mississippi).