The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1882-10-11
Raising Woo:from Cotton Sseiks.
How 70 get Food and Cloth
ing from the same
Plant

becomes ten wears older the world will adj
NIT that the discovery ofthe insignificant
cotton plant was an event Of almost
equal importance. in the history ofmod-
ern. Industries a the invention of the
locomotive. Fifty years ago, the plant
was mere weed. Forty years ago it
became valuable crop. Thirty years
AGO il became the King of American
staples. Twenty years ago it changed
the whole character of the American Gov
ernmcnt, by indirectly provoking great
civil war. Ten years ago il lifted the
South out Of the rains of Recons truction
Eight years ago it began to expand its
/ kingdom by revealing it, un>uSpected
capabilities. SiX years ago. tie virtues
Of cotton seed oil cake for fattening cat
I tie aroused the interest Of the world.
Five Years ago the uses of cotton seed
oil began To gain general recognition.
( Aud now we have proof that cotton seed
meal is Invaluable for rearing SHEEP!
= 1t tattens rapidly. increases the wool
cl ps. and is highly beneficial in breed
ing.
Thus it is seen that the simple cotton
plant not only makes living for the
farmer who rears It. the middleman Ga
dozen different ones) who handle it. the
iron workers who bale-tie it. the railway
and steamer lines who haul it. the man
uiacturer who fashions il into cloth. and
/ the merchant who sells tie cloth. not
only all these but actually. it feeds the
sheep which grows the fleece. and feeds
the men. that makes the coat that warns
/ the farmer! Wonderful little weed
[ Let Us turn to the nearest patch and
take of our hats in grateful s;.luta-
ton for all that it has done for Dixie.
But to return to the subject of cotton
seed meal for sheep. The Farmer AMI
.aecH0nic mentioned last week two cen
tlemen who puri, sc starting oil mills
and a mill is jllst e;arting at Gollsboro.
/ There is no doubt that these n..lls Will
pay, and will open up the way for a
rapid increase OF sheep husbandry. which
/ AL our readers must know. ought to be
one of our leading industries.
Capt. Ed. Sharpe of Bosque county.
| Texas. who owns an extensive Range of
several thousand head of sheep, thus
writes:
MY experience with cotton seed meal
as a feed for sheep has been extremely
satisfactory. | am most Thoroughly con-
rjnced Hat it IS not only the 6esi bm de-
cidediy tie cheapest sheep feet ij,dt con
be },IrcUed. when properly manipula-
/ ted. Aiy mode oi' feeding It is to cut hay
or straw. moisttn it with water. putting
ON the meal and mixing it thoroughly.
/ hc meal being very adhesive. each OF
I lax. straw. or 81 atcyer may le used.
/ becomes thoroughly enveloped ii q coat
NO of the meal. and viii be eaten with
Il relish by either sheep or cattle. For
the purpose OF thus preparing il. | have
a mixing trough that will hold about
/ 1000 bushels. | fed my heard of 1000
ewes last winter entirely upon ths feed.
| commenced the first of December by
giving them O0G0 head) a bulk OF cut
nav equal to about forty bushels. Upon
Il
seed meal-or. two ounces to each sheep.
This was their regular feed until the
18th of December. when | increased the
meal TO $50 pounds equal to i little
less than two and lalf ounces per
sheep. On the Goth of January | again
increased it to l75 pounds. and on the
lst OF February to 200 pounds. On the
lst of March | commenced decreasing
This was all my sheep were fed, eX-
cept when weather was such as not to
admit of their goin" out. | would then
increase the quantity OF hay. When
kept up all day. or several days a q
time. | would, instead OF forty bushels.
.ivc them 500 to 1000 bushels OF hay
thereby giving to each animal the same
hulk OF feed each day. whether out on
ine prairie grazing oil kept under cover
all day.
The result OF this mode of feeding may
he briefly stated az follows: Out OF 100,
lead | lost. from the l>t of December
is the Goth Of March. two matuet
sheep. and ON tl.at day | had - PEI
cent. of all lambs born-no abortions
10 premature births: mothers all gave
as nlu,li milk as tie lambs required
!, and many OF them more than the iami
II could take: and to-day ms lambs arr
4 The lar est and my ewes the fattest-il
Il tact. AIy flock is III the best condition
h ever saw flock Of its >ize.
4 },ut up hay and corn and can onl,
Il approximate the cost. | brought III,
i meal carly in the seas on. at reduce'
prince. so that il cost me just so tol
: II ny ranch. Hence, ii cost me to win
d ter my sheep Just l. G-l0 cents Per hea'
i for meal. and | think about lilo cent
Z for hay. making total cost OF . cent
;, per head: but at at s24 per ton 1t woul
n increse the cost of wintering to 2S3 cents
Last winter year ago | fed my shee
on corn. cottoi seed. bran and hay. an
It coSi ne about 63 cents per head OF
two and one-half times as much a
did last winter; and they We're not hal
: as well fed.
!; Fxrcriments | have made in feedin
i cotton seed meal dry. both 10 cattle an
sheer. satisfy ne that for producing
i milk. fat or forming flesh, cotton see
: meal Las no equal.
. Tie Texas wool grower says on sam
5 subject;
2 DRY cotton seed has been used an
recognized as good feed. when mike
: with bran and hay, but cotton seed mea
is now considered as by far the best an
most economical feed that can be obtain
ed.and we are glad to learn that Its man
ufactre is becoming an extensive bus
ness within easy distance OF the shee
growing country. The Howard Oil Com
pany. under the able management
Col. Robert Gibson. has establishe