120 FIELD CROPS FOR THE COTTON-BELT 



struction of roller gins in general use, but both of them 

 depend upon the same principle for the removal of the 

 fiber from the seed. In each type the seed cotton is 

 brought in contact with a revolving roller, the surface of 

 which is covered with leather, preferably walrus hide, 

 which has a roughened surface. A metal plate or knife ex- 

 tends across the machine tangentially to the roller and 

 very close to it. The fine fibers adhere to the leather cover- 

 ing of the roller and are drawn between it and the knife un- 

 til the seed is pulled against the edge, and the fibers are 

 severed. The larger types of roller gins will turn out 800 

 to 1000 pounds of lint to a gin stand in a day of 10 

 hours. 



142. Baling. The cotton lint leaves the gin in a 

 very loose condition and has to be compressed into bales 

 for convenience of transport. This is done by placing 

 it in .a baling press with an outside wrapper of coarse 

 burlap, in which it is compressed into comparatively small 

 compass and held by iron ties. 



Bales from different countries vary greatly in size, 

 weight, and appearance. The approximate weights of 

 bales as put on the market from different countries are 

 as follows : 



United States 500 pounds 



India 400 pounds 



Egypt 700 pounds 



Peru . . . 200 pounds 



Brazil 200 to 300 pounds. 



American cotton bales are said to arrive at foreign markets 

 in poorer condition than those from any other country. 

 This is due largely to the fact that the bagging used for 

 covering the American bale is of very poor quality and 



