A study was conducted as a 4 x 4 x 2 factorial in a randomized complete block design with three replications to determine the effect of lint cleaner saw speed and tooth density on several cotton quality parameters. Four cotton varieties (Deltapine-NSL, McNair 235, Stoneville 825, and DES 422)* were grown and harvested from the same field in Stoneville, MS, for use in this study. About 30 pounds of seed cotton per lot were ginned in the microgin using a 6-cylinder cleaner, stick machine, 6-cylinder cleaner, extractor feeder and gin stand and two stages of lint cleaning. Four saw speeds were used for the second lint cleaner: 1150, 1350, 1550, and 1750 rpm in a randomized procedure. Two of the lint cleaners had saw cylinders wrapped with 8 saws or teeth per linear inch. A third lint cleaner was equipped with a cylinder that had been wrapped with 12 saws per linear inch and was randomly inserted into the test sequence as the second stage of lint cleaning. Therefore, each experimental lot received two stages of lint cleaning with the saw speed and saw tooth density being changed, when needed, on the second stage of lint cleaning.

Initial conditions of the seed cotton were fairly constant with the seed cotton moisture being about 7.3% and the seed cotton foreign matter being about 5.2%. The lint moisture content was lower than desired and averaged about 4.3%.