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Cotton Gins are a critical part of the process of getting a field grown cropinto the marketplace. Seed cotton is turned into two major by-products and two minorby-products when processed by the cotton gin. Delivered to the gin in either trailers or in large bales known as modules, the seed cottonis fed into the gin plant by suction and then metered out at a rate suitable to the gin's capacity and the condition of the seed cotton (trashy, clean, wet, or dry). Clean, dry seed cotton can be processed at the highest capacities, thus lessening overstocked conditions in the waiting-to-be-ginned line. Almost all ginsuse gas fired dryers to dry seed cotton to around 7% moisture. This is optimumfor most ginning systems. After drying and some threshing type processing to remove larger trash, seedcotton is fed into the "ginstand" where "cottonseed" is removed from the lint. |
| There are
two major products derived from the seed cotton. The seed is blowninto
bins where it is held for shipment to cottonseed buyers.
The lint,
which hasbeen removed from the seed by means of flat
Motes are
sold as low -grade cotton fiber mainly because of their short fibers and
off-color appearance. The cleaned lint is then fed into the
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| The final
product of ginned seed cotton is gin trash. It consist mainly of cotton
plant parts which have been removed in the cleaning machinery. Cotton
gin trash is usually piled on the gin property where it is allowed to compost.
It makes a great mulch for landscaping and
garden use. |