The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1886-02-26
ichsnical genius, inaugurated great indus
trial revolution. a, -.-.

. VIM reVOiutlOD. . -'-"'
The eotton>gin in its primitive simplicit,
"a revolving cylinder with bristling row
OF wire claws (sooh replaced by sharptoothe,
saws)--with its comp,nion cylinder arme,
with rows of brushes to sweep the co.to,
oil, the stripped seeds falling through tn
open bars of the wire pltfarm, solved tn
problem and raised cotton to the first plac,
among textile fabrics.
| But, with growing mounds of feecy cot
ton on the one hand came the rapid accu
mutation Of tho refuse seed on tho other
% every cotton plantation there aooumu.
lated annually immense heaps of black
greasy, flthy-look' Ing, slowly -rot,ing, often,
slve refuse FROM the cotton gin.
AS the sharp teeth of the rnpidly.revolv-
ing cylinder tore off the snowy fleece, the
disposition Of the rapidly-accumulatinc Q
seeds, which wero poured forth as waste,
the disposal of which furnished an ever.
recurring problem to the planter, who little
dreamed of the niue of wealth that Inv be-
fore his very eyes.
1t was not until the destruction of the
nearer forests forced upon the sugar planter r
the serious consideration O: the fueLprob>
lem that the possibilities lying dormant in
the equally troublesome waste products of
the sugar mill-the Gagasse-were discov-
cred.
So, in the forced disposition of the cotton
seed its unexpected value as fertilizer was
discovered.
10 render the tough-coated seed moro
promptly available as plantsfood, the seeds
were rudely crushed, when 10! the rich
supply of oil wa, revealed; while, by au-
other happy accident, that which had been
not only considered useless, but even feared
az poisonous, and carefully kept beyond the
reach of stock, was when accidentally ea>
ten found to be not only harmless but act.
ually fattening, and in the greasy chops of
the satisfied beasts the dormant possibilities
OF cotton -seed-oil revealed themselves.
During an unusually severe winter, a
cautious experimental use of cote seed, to
eke npaihn aoans. supply of f;Jrao. r,n,.,,
Its value as ifood-supply. Further sex.
periments and continued use of the oil,
proved it to be invaluable as food, as a
lubricant in the pharmacy and in the soap-
factory.
The cotton-crop itself is also materially
by the discovery Of the OIL for it
is found that while the seed loses none of
its value as fertilizer by the removal of
the oil, the yiold of cotton is largely in>
creased BY the superior stimulating and
invigorating properties of cotton-seed-moal
as fertilizer, over the whole seed, as at
first used of which a large part either
sprouts or rots, the remainder lying dead
and inert long time before it can be taken
up and appropriated as q crop-food.
The lint-cotton is also much increased,
being removed moro thoroughly and per-
fsctly preparatory to the crushing process.
Greedy children are told that they 'can-
not eat their cake, and have it, too; but
tho fortunate cotton-planter can both sell
his cotton-seed and have it also. In South
Carolina, farmers Oil Mills, by moves
ment recently inauguratsd. PROMISE to re-
turn to the planters the meal from all the
seed furnished them, ready for use as n
fertilizer the world the richer for the oil.
the farmer enriched by tho exchange for
while tho whole seed in the hull is worth.
as q fertilizer, but seventeen dollars per ton,
the ground meal, separate from the hull, is
worth forty-two dollars, and the ashes from
the hulls eighteen dollars moro.
Thus, from the position of troublesome
waste-products-an eye.sore cumteripg the
ground--cottcn-seed now takes rank as n
valuable commercial product more valu-
able to the planter than the fibre itself, for
while the cotton crop of 1884 was estimated
at ss1 Alb, 900, the seed, of which there
are two tons to one Of lint, was worth at
market rates, as a fertilizer alone, $780,
$40, 900, leaving out Of the calculation the
oil aud the hulIs.
The 101 mills In operation in 1888,
according to tho report Of the Cotton Seed
Crusher's Convention produced over nipe-
teen million gallons of crude oil every ton
ofseed yielding thirtysfivo gallons of oil.
In addition to the oil and the meal, every
ion Of seed also yields some twenty pounds
Of fine soft lint, and considerable quantity
of soap stock.
The hulls are valuable as fuel, yielding
ashes rich in fertilizing elements; as paper
stock !; and also for q coarse food for sheep