ndrical bales are being exported in
large numbers. In the "Round Bale" Circular of the American Cotton
Company, it is stated that from the 21st November, 1896, to January
2nd, 1897, no less than 1443 round bales were turned out of the factory
at Waco in Texas. The total weight of these bales was 614,832 pounds,
giving an average of 426 pounds per bale.

By means of a press the cotton is rolled into the form as shown in the
illustration. The press makes a bale 4 feet long and 2 feet in diameter
and weighs over 35 pounds per cubic foot or 50 per cent. denser than the
bale made under the system as shown in Fig. 10.

Image: FIG. 11.--Cylindrical rolls of cotton.

It is claimed for this new system that the regularity of the size of the
bale, 4 x 2 feet, makes it pack much closer than the irregular
turtle-backed bales as usually made on the old system.

Under the new style the cotton is pressed gradually and not all at once.
For this reason it is claimed that the fibre is not injured and the
cotton arrives at the mill with the fibre in as good condition as when
it left the gins.

"Bagging and ties are entirely dispensed with, as the air is pressed out
of the cotton and it has no tendency to expand again, and the covering
needed is only sufficient to keep the cotton clean."

From a number of experiments it is proved that the "round bale" is both
fireproof and water proof.

From the illustration of the round bale shown in Fig. 11, it will be
seen how readily this new form of bale lends itself to greatly aiding
the operatives in the opening processes in the mill. The roll which lies
on the floor like a roll of carpet could be so fixed that the cotton
could be fed to the opener by being unrolled as shown in the
illustration.

At present the round bale system is not popular and it remains to be
seen whether it will commend itself to cotton spinners.

CHAPTER VI.

MANIPULATION OF COTTON IN OPENING, SCUTCHING, CARDING, DRAWING, AND
FLY-FRAME MACHINES.

Before attempting to give the readers of this story an insight into the
various operations through which cotton is made to pass, it may be
advisable to briefly enumerate them first.

On the field there are the operations of collecting and ginning, that
is, separating the raw cotton from the seeds. To the stranger it is very
astonishing that as many as 66 to 75 pounds of seed are got from every
100 pounds of seed cotton gathered. Then in or near the cotton field