586 



AGRICULTURE. 



these bales are put in a powerful compress, which reduces the 

 bulk to about one-third the original size. These bales are 

 covered with some kind of wrapping, usually, until of late, 

 being jute. Since the effort made by the Alliance to break 

 down the jute trust, many other substances have been used, and 

 it is quite likely that some change will be made in both the size 

 of the bale and its covering. One bale to the acre is considered 

 above the average crop. 



At the present time America produces over three-fourths of 

 the entire amount of cotton grown. 



United States cotton crops. [From reports of Latham, Alexander & Co.] 



Tobacco. Tobacco consists of the leaves of several species 

 of the plant Nicotinia, variously prepared for use as a narcotic. 

 While it is principally prepared for smoking, a very large and 

 increasing amount is prepared for chewing, and considerable is 

 made into snuff. Under these forms, the use of tobacco is 

 more widely spread than any other narcotic or stimulant. 



