Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-04-06
Cotton Seed.

With your permission l will give to the
readers of your excellent journal the re-
suit of a small experiment | made last
year for the purpose of ascertaining the
value of raw cotton seed as fertilizer for
corn:
l selected a piece of ordinary upland,
which was prepared for planting the usual
way, making the rows about four feet
apart | then took two bushels of cotton
seed just as they come from the gin, and
selected two rows across the plat of land
thus prepared and dropped a handful of
the cotton seed in the drill about every
three feet. The corn was then drOpped
three or four inches, more or less, in these
rows from each handful of seed and all
was covered. This was done in the latter
part of March. Many of the cotton seed
terminated and came M, but were not
allowed to grow for any considerable
length of time.
During the growing season the differ
ence between these two rows and those
adjoining them was very perceptible the
cOrnstalks in the former growing more
rapidly and luXurantly than in the lat
ter and. as natural consequence, the
fertiliZed rows matured earlier than those
not fertilized and produced little more
fodder.
On the 9th of October l gathered "a
pounds of good, dry corn from the two
fertilized rows, and on the same day / in
like manner gathered II pounds from the
two rows neXt-one on the right and the
other on the left. But thinking the corn
in these two rows was also benefited bv
the fertilizer, l proceeded on same day to
gather Two adjoining rows next on one
side and obtained from them 2 pounds,
which leads me to the conclusion that
none was benefited except the rows in
which the fertilizer was placed.
The result shows an increase of %
pounds Of corn from the two bushels of
cotton seed or ll% pounds from one
bushel.
The market value of the corn at the time
it was gathered was 40 cents per bushel,
which makes the cotton seed thus used
worth and a fraction cents per bushel.
The corn is now worth 80 cents per bushel.
which makes the cOttonseed worth 10 and
a fraction; but if the corn be valued at
81 per 6pshel, the cotton seed in that case
would be worth 81 and fraction cents.
1t is apparent, then, that the value of
the cotton seed thus used, in money, will
vary with the price of the corn.
The true value of cotton seed as a ma
nure is somewhat difficult to ascertain,
on several accounts. In the abOve-men-
toned trial | did not ascertain the exact
increase in fodder, nor do l know how
much, If any, benefit may be derived from
the fertilizer by subsequent crops. 1t may
be more valuable in some years than in
others, on account Of seasons. Then a
great deal may depend upon the manner
in which the seed is used. If they are
compOsted with other ingredients, as in
the Furman formula, they may be more
valuable than when used alone. used
so bushels in this way last season and ap-
piled the compost to land cultivated in
cotton which Judging in a sort of general
way appeared to do very well, but took
no steps to ascertain its exact value.
Cotton seed is an excellent fertilizer.
but l doubt whether it is as valuable as
some have supposed.
L. A. HILL, NJ. D.
HinbLe, Acorn county,, Mss.