The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-01-30
Stabbed Cotton Seed asa nan.r. for

80 Mr.: ,. w: Crawford, !, q skilled planter,
living at Gold Spring, Piokeas County.
writes as follows to the editor q the
Anderson InteMgencer:
For two years. have used this ma
nure (almost exclusively)sffor cotton,
applying only fifty to seyenty-fye
pounds OF guano per acre. with the
planted seed, in bottom land.
Previous to tho discovery of this ma
nure, l used guano almost entirely My
success with this manure has giveu tho
greatest satisfaction, exceeding any
gnano have tried, and have used tho
best kinds. I will state the results Of
the use Of this manure. live near the
Northern limit of the cotton belt--al-
most under the shade of tho Blue Ridge.
Tho lands planted are very old. mostly
in sedge twenty-seven years ago, when 1
became in possession OF them. They
were originally good for this part OF the
country, and have been planted in cot
ton almost continually for twenty years,
except during the war. The yield Of
crop last year from 55 acres was 43
bales, of 420 pounds. This year, 40
acres have made 35 bales, OF 43O pounds.
These crops were made entirely with
this manure, except rs pounds of gunno
to the aero on half the land (bottom)
! each year. Had the caterpillar not in
jured twenty acres of this years crop,
the yield would have been not less than
ten bales more, which would have been
forty.four bales from forty acres. l feel
certain of this yield, as the same land
made l,430 pounds per acre last year
and only 750 this, which is tho better
cotton year OF the two. The mode Of
making and applying this manure is
simple and easy, but requires attention.
will state, in the first place, 1 have
four mules and one horse, aud do no:
make any of it during the months of
June, July and August, ns it would en-
danger the health of tho place.
Tho mules stand haltered in separate
stalls, and in each one I put about
thirty-tive bushels of seed. right from
the gin house. These seed arc stirred
daily with 8 manure fork, mixing the
e1orement thoroughly with ths seed;
every other day would do, but it is bet.
ter done every day, oaly requiring about
twenty minutes to do it. fiud it re-
quires about twenty Days to get them
thoroughly mingled with tho excrement
At the expiration Of this time. they are
carried out and deposited iu an opan
log house, we'll covered, and remain till
L am ready to put them on the land
Occasionally they should be thrown
about in this house to prevent burning
or fire-fanging. Burning deteriorntes
their value, and it cannot be ob riated,
unless very large shelter is used. or
mixed with something else that will pre-
vent the escape of ammonia, which is
objectionable, as it increases greatly the
labor of hauling aud applying.
apply them by preparing the land
just as l would for any other manure,
which should be deep and close. I
apply about thirty five bushels per acre;
twenty or twenty-five is enough for old
red land, as they will burn the crop in
dry time on this kind nf land On
low, moist land, forty bushels or moro
would not be too much; but when this
quantity is put on, tho plow should bs
run through them after they are depo-
sited in the furrow, mingling the soil
with them, 40 they will not present any
mechanical obstruction to the roots Of
the plant while young and delicate. In
fact. this is o good plan with all ma
nures, but more particularly where they
are abundantly applied. I bed on them
as with other manure. What I claim
for this manure is. that it is the only
substitute for gusno-that is, it is the
only manure. except guano. that can be
extensively used. OF course, it cannot
be hauled and applied as easily and as
rapidly as guano, but four mules can
haul enough for four or five acres ut one
load, and three hands can apply them
about az fast as one can guano. l use
handled bushel baskets in distributing
them.
Many farmers say they have not seed
enough to make this manure. / reply
that [ bought no seed for last years
crop or this, but sold over 200 bushels,
and had about this much left after
planting cotton this year. If 500 or
1000 pounds of seed cotton are made
per acre, it will be sufficient to manure
the same land.
| In conclusion. will say that those of
my neighbors who have followed this
example, and those who have seen the
crops, verify all say about it. If the
farmers OF the country will carry out
this plan as stated, and are not greatly
delighted with the result, I shall be
sadly disappointed. The general use of
cotton seed applied in this way would
ruin every guano company and save
millions Of dollars to the planters. 1