CHAPTER yni. 
CONSUMPTION OF COTTON. 
"We lestrict the pLrase "consumption of cotton" to 
the actual wear and tear by the millions who are compelled 
to use it. A man of calculating mind may form some idea 
of this immense consumption by beginning his reckoning 
in his own family. How many yards of common domestic 
are required to clothe a single person for a year ? Twenty- 
five yards is not too large an estimate as a fair average for 
old and young; adult women requiring fifty yards, and 
small children from fifteen to thirty. How many persons 
are there in the United States requiring cotton cloth? 
30,000,000. Then it will require 760,000,000 yards. This 
calculation does not include the fine cambrics, muslins, 
laces, &c., of foreign importation. 
Let us extend our calculations across the water. Let 
us suppose that England takes annually 2,000,000 bales, or 
900,000,000 pounds. This will make 1,800,000,000 yards 
of cloth. A larger portion af this cloth is designed for 
clothing, and is distributed to all parts of the world, 
to be worn out or consumed on the backs of the needy 
myriads. 
France takes 500,000 bales, or 225,000,000 pounds. 
She converts it mostly into fine fabrics, such as laces and 
tiilles. Supposing one pound of cotton will make four yards 
