Excerpts from the report Summary: Since 1926, U.S. cotton production has increased very slightly, while the number of active gin plants has declined rapidly. Gins in most of the major producing areas, although becoming fewer in number, have increased in size. The one exception to the trend has been the Far West. In this area, both gin numbers and gin size have increased simultaneously. The deviation from the national trend has been due mainly to the earlier and more rapid adoption of mechanical harvesting in this area. The determination of optimal gin size for well established areas depends upon gin plant population, production density, relative concentration of the harvest period, availability of seed cotton storage, assembly cost, and anticipated revenue. In developing large, new producing areas where gin plant population and production densities are not limiting factors, the 24-bale per hour model would be generally recommended. However, for older, well established producing areas optimal gin size would be smaller.