One hundred cotton samples have been evaluated by both instrumentation and cotton classer for color grade. There is agreement between USDA HVI color grade and classer on fifty of these cottons. There is disagreement between USDA HVI color grade and classer on the other fifty. It has been found that redness, variation in yellowness, and yellow spot area can be used to increase agreement between instrumented systems and the cotton classer. The need for a measure of redness and variation in yellowness is clearly demonstrated.