Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1884-05-15
Artificial Foods.

The manurial value of bran, cotton
seed meal, and other sO-called artificial
foods has been so much written of thai
undue attention has been called 70
them, with the effect Of enhancing the
market prices beyond their actual values
The statement that the value of manure
made from 4 ton of bran is greater
than the actual cost Of the bran. and
the same in regard TO coitOn-seed meal,
has always seemed rather fabulous 10
US when considered from practical
point of view. No doubt this Oft-re-
peated statement has tended to cast
considerable doubt upon the value Of
the iniOns put forth BY scientific
agricudurists, and to add new force in
mems minds to the adage that 'sthe
common man observes without reason
ing. while the learned man reasons
without observing" and there may be
something like this on both sides, the
one giving too little credit to these
feeding substances and the other too
much But although DIR. Have.
might have been entirely correct in
published statements referred &c
have been made, at the time
he made it. vet it seems to BE-
forgotten that the values of the artificial
fertilizing substances-nitrogen, phOs-
phOric acid and potash. which were
taken As the standard for the estimate
hare been considerably reduced. and
vet the old estimate rs 10 the feeding
stuff remains. Fer instance. nitrogen
used 10 be taken at thirty cents pound
phOsphoric acid at fifteen cents. and
potash a. six cents. But nitrogen AT
this value should be wholly available,
existing in soluble con pounds. as nitric
acfd or salts Of ammonia When not II
this form the value IS considerably
lessened. and in some combinations, as
IN leather. wool. horn and other insolu-
BILE substances. it is worth very little in
deed. And il is in almost as inert
condition in the fresh manure made
from bran or cotfon-seed meal rs in
horn or wool. II this is taken into con-
sideratiOn the manurial value of These
foods may be easily reduced one-h half. |
and their present market value has been
raised TO a high point, chiefly from
what the dealers have learned Of these /
scientific estimates of the manuriai |
values.
Farmers are paving too much foI |
these waste products. The condition
their business can not afford IL Cotton |
seed meal at thirty dollars n ton and 1
bran ut twenty-fOur dtslars to thirty /
dollars n ton, do not harmonic with |
milk AZ three cents or butter at thirty /
five cents. Fifeeen cents a day for ten
pounds of these feeds and as much for l
hay takes away the whole value of the
product. and the farmer has nothing
for mis- work and interest on his invest
ment- II may be that he sGfIe=s because
Of the competition of the tallow and
lard dairies. But although a patient
man he should not bear all the burdens,
and if any one should share with him
in the damage inflicted upon
the dairy business by those who have
no cows to feed or milk 10 make their
butter. il should be the dealers in COW
feeds and folders. and their prices
should come down or farmers should
refuse TO buy them. and feed more
corn-meal, which is the cheapest feed.
and never has had any manurial
boom" at all.-N y. Times.