Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1856-05-21
"OvERsEER" has been received but too
late for this issue it will appear iu. our next.
From the Galveston News.

ldto I8r lulS lSSuo " Will dppCol 0uA hSAs
From the Galveston News.
GIVE copy the following article from
the Railroad Record published in Cincinnati; /;
and we invite our readers throug hout the
State, to give it their careful consideration,
for we doubt whether we have ever publish
ed an article that naturally suggests more
important reflections to the people of the
South, We have often thought that, by the
proper application of science and chemical
skill, with the aid of all the latest improve
ments in the manufacture of cotton seed oil,
millions of dollars might be saved to the
South annually. In regard to the value of
the cotton fibre, which adheres to the seed
and is now thrown away with it, we cannot
speak with equal confidence. But we trust
this article will elicit some discussion among
our planters, who are so deeply interested
in the subject, and that some valuable infor.
nation to the public, may be the result.
COTTON SEED AND ITS USES.
In looking over the annual reports of the
products of this great staple, one cannot fail
to observe that the only product of the cot.
ton crop, extensive as it now is, is the fibrous
covering of the seed, the cotton of commerce.
The seed itself, the real fruit of the plant, is
now Of no absolute value except to manure
the fields. And when it is considered that
nature in most other agricultural products,
has made the fruit itself of more value than
its covering, it will be readily conceded that
the present cultivation of cotton presents an
anomaly in agriculture, and one which an.
alogy would lead US to suppose could hardly
exist. What if the producer of fax should
throw away for one year only, the ripe seed
of his plant, would it not be commercial
calamity to be regretted by every citizen Of
the worldg If the grower of wheat, or corn,
or oats, should content himself with the pro.
duct of his farm in chat, would not civilized
nations at once condemn his folly and com:
pei change of policy2 1t is true that the
value of chafF in the one case, and fax in
the other would lily repay the labors of the
cultivator, but if they paid him thousand
fold, would he not be equally unwise to
waste large portion of the product with
which the bounty of nature has repaid his
toil2 He has sown his seed, nature has
given the harvest, and the wise man will
make as much of it as he can. And 30 we
conceive it must be with the cotton crop.
The cotton fibre is not the only, nor the lar.
gest portion of the return of the soil, yet it
is at present the only portion that has value,
because the only portion applied to the arts,
or made to minister to the wants of man.
But is the refuse of the cotton crop of no
value9 Is there no purpose in the wide range
of art or manufacture to which it can be ap-
piled, and be source of profit to the plan
ter z, In seeking the solution of this ques.
ton we shall consider first, the amount of
this refuse at the present moment, and after
wards the uses to which it may be applied.
FIRST. The amount of the refuse of the
cotton crop. AS near as can be ascertained
about 100000 acres of land are planted
with cotton; the average product of this
land is a little over 300 lbs. to the acre,
baled cotton, making according to the au.
thor of Cotton is King" In 1853, total
production Of l,600,0O0,000 lbs. of baled
cotton. Now, one pound only of baled, is
obtained from three and one.third pounds OF
the rough product. We have, then the fol.
lowing statement of the cotton product of
the country in 1853.
Total product of the field. ..5,333, 100000
"baled Cotton. n......."..l l,600,000O00