Effects of Variations in Gin and Mill Cleaning on the Lint and Yarn Quality of Mechanically Picked and Stripped Cottons

Several combinations of harvesting, ginning, and mill-cleaning practices were applied to cottons from the Midsouth, Southeast, and West Texas growth areas. The Midsouth and Southeast cottons were harvested before and after frost, and the West Texas cotton was harvested after frost only. Fiber-quality data on finisher-drawing sliver for the Midsouth and Southeast cottons indicated that removal of trash at the card, rather than in an earlier stage of processing, resulted in less fiber damage. No overall conclusions were possible concerning the effect of time of harvest on yarn quality. Some of the yarn-quality characteristics of the Midsouth cotton were better for the harvest before frost, and some were better for the harvest after frost. However, the yarn quality of the Southeast cotton was consistently better for the earlier cotton harvest. Spinning production rates reflected the level of yarn quality. There was little difference in the production rates of the before- and after-frost harvests for the Midsouth cotton, but the production rates for the earlier harvest of the Southeast cotton were higher than those for the later harvest. Generally, high production rates and yarn qualities were achieved with minimum cleaning at both the gin and mill.