﻿AGRICULTURE. 
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  are 
  gathered 
  together, 
  and 
  stitched 
  with 
  twine, 
  and 
  the 
  

   ropes 
  passed 
  through 
  the 
  grooves 
  and 
  tied. 
  The 
  move- 
  

   ment 
  of 
  the 
  screw 
  or 
  lever 
  is 
  then 
  reversed, 
  the 
  pressure 
  

   removed, 
  and 
  the 
  bale 
  taken 
  out. 
  

  

  Although 
  compressed 
  to 
  nearly 
  a 
  square 
  form, 
  by 
  the 
  

   expansion 
  of 
  the 
  rope 
  when 
  the 
  pressure 
  is 
  taken 
  off, 
  it 
  

   assumes 
  a 
  flattened 
  shape. 
  

  

  Bales 
  are 
  estimated 
  as 
  averaging 
  four 
  hundred 
  pounds; 
  

   but, 
  as 
  freight 
  is 
  charged 
  by 
  the 
  bale, 
  many 
  planters, 
  

   especially 
  those 
  remote 
  from 
  market, 
  prefer 
  making 
  them 
  

   heavier, 
  and 
  five 
  hundred 
  pound 
  bales 
  are 
  not 
  unusual. 
  

  

  Hoop 
  iron 
  has 
  been 
  introduced 
  of 
  late 
  years; 
  but 
  the 
  

   use, 
  as 
  yet, 
  is 
  confined 
  to 
  a 
  few 
  large 
  planters. 
  It 
  makes 
  

   a 
  very 
  neat 
  compact 
  bale, 
  and 
  there 
  is 
  not 
  that 
  stretch- 
  

   ing 
  or 
  expansion 
  as 
  in 
  the 
  bales 
  tied 
  with. 
  rope. 
  The 
  

   hoops 
  have 
  generally 
  a 
  light 
  coating 
  of 
  paint 
  or 
  varnish 
  

   to 
  prevent 
  oxidation, 
  and 
  are 
  very 
  adroitly 
  and 
  speedily 
  

   fastened 
  by 
  means 
  of 
  iron 
  rivets 
  passed 
  through 
  holes 
  

   previously 
  punched 
  at 
  j)roper 
  distances. 
  

  

  The 
  material 
  used 
  for 
  wrapping 
  the 
  cotton 
  is 
  chiefly 
  

   of 
  hemp 
  manufactured 
  in 
  Kentucky, 
  and 
  hence 
  known 
  

   as 
  "Kentucky 
  bagging." 
  It 
  has 
  become 
  so 
  inferior 
  of 
  

   late, 
  however, 
  being 
  frequently 
  so 
  open 
  and 
  slaizy 
  that 
  

   the 
  gin 
  mark 
  cannot 
  be 
  legibly 
  printed 
  upon 
  it, 
  that 
  it 
  

   has 
  been 
  superseded 
  to 
  considerable 
  extent 
  by 
  the 
  India 
  

   bagging 
  and 
  gunny 
  bags, 
  which 
  present 
  a 
  neater 
  appear- 
  

   ance. 
  

  

  Five 
  gunny 
  bags 
  will 
  wrap 
  a 
  bale, 
  and 
  can 
  be 
  properly 
  

   joined 
  without 
  cutting. 
  They 
  are, 
  however, 
  inferior 
  in 
  

   strength 
  to 
  the 
  other 
  materials 
  used, 
  and 
  are 
  very 
  liable 
  

   to 
  be 
  torn 
  by 
  the 
  iron 
  hooks 
  used 
  by 
  the 
  boat 
  hands 
  in 
  

   loading 
  and 
  unloading 
  the 
  cotton. 
  

  

  The 
  rope 
  used 
  is 
  chiefly 
  manufactured 
  in 
  Kentucky 
  

   and 
  Missouri, 
  and 
  is 
  generally 
  regarded 
  as 
  the 
  best 
  for 
  

   12 
  

  

  