The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-07-05
Cotton Seed Comnnst

We lCPIIuI GIlo lOllOWlnG article
from the pen of Nelson A. Crawford
of Alabama, who though eighty
three years OF age, and during sixty
years cotton planter, still writes
forclbly on agricultural subjects
Having been somewhat successful
in my experiments for a series of
years in the use of cotton seed as a
manure, l am requested by some
young planters to give you, for pub
LEGATION, my method of using them
in compost. Planters are unaware
OF their value, else they would not
dispose of them to the oil mills.
We cannot continue to make
good crops of corn on sandy lands
without some kind of a fertilizer.
and the compost is both cheaper
and safer than any commercial fer
tillizer that can be procured and costs
no money. Have a good shelter made
to protect the compost from the beat
ing rains of winter. 1 begin in win
ter by putting down cotton seed two
feet thick, as large as the heap is to
be made, make it thoroughly wet
with water, with liberal sprinkle of
salt, ii convenient, then a layer of sta
bic or coW-pen manure foot thick,
then the same thickness of common
dirt on this-the richer the better
Which, has the property of abstracting
the ammonia terminated by the rot
ting process going on below, then the
same quantity OF cotton seed on this,
made wet by Sprinkling as at
first, then all the manure YOU
can get, then cover the entire
heap with as much dirt as you nIease.
covering this mass entirely. In
a short time b. looking into it YOU
will find the entire mass intensely
hot; during the winter the size of the
heap will be smaller, but you will no
tice no offensive odor, it being alb
Sorbed by the dirt. The following
March or April take grubbing hoe
or spade, beginning at the side and
top of the heap, strike down through
each layer down to the bottom, there
by mixing all the ingredients togeth-
er. You will find it easily handled
with shovel. Throw it in wagon
and spread broadcast over field, the
driver standing ON the wagon and
scattering all around it; by practice
he soon becomes expert in scattering
it thick or thin, us may be desired
After the manure is scattered
give the land thorough blowing
going all around the field, so as
to have continuous land. 1t
is now planting time. Then run the
| rows with a Reese diamond scooter
plow at the proper width for corn or
cotton, plant and cover, cultivate on
level as much as possible, using a
sweep generally; if properly protect
ed by hillside ditch, at fall of one
inch in twenty feet, it will not wash
much. have field of sixteen acres
on the Trussel Ferry road, Joining
my residence, which l purchased
twenty-five years ago very much eX.
hausted-for many years cultivation
without any kind of would
not bring more than ten bushels OF
corn to the acre. put 300 bushels OF
cotton seed, composted with manure
and dirt, spread broadcast over the
field, broke up my land deep as above
and made Il fine crop. Since thai
time | have planted the same lane
every year; this year one half in corr
and the other in oats-followed by /;
pea crop after the oats were GU
| off-and the same quantity of ma
| SPlClet Oh liz
other. The land has wonderfully i'm
proved, having made in a seasonablt
year as much as forty bushels OF corr
to the acre. The land and crop on i
can be seen at any time from tn,
Trussel Ferry road.
Try my compost for one year, ant
you will never use any other fetili
yer, and will sell no more cotton seeC
to the oil factory. 'Fhev say the OF
taken from the seed is not manure
but say the oil is the most valua
BILE ingredient in the seed, the residu,
being nothing but vegetable matter
as everyone knows that oil acted OF
by the salts in the soil turns the OF
into soap-the best of all manures
1t is withal the best manure for ;
garden, as the intense heat in thu
compost destroys the vitality of gras
and weed seed.