National Republican., 1888-02-05
IMPORTANT NEED SUPPLIED.
In the Mechanical Device Known as Craw'
ford's Cotton seed Cleaner.

About the year l7iS the cotton plant,
which had been considered an ornamental
garden plant, was for the first time cultiva-
ted, for commercial purposes, in the English
colonies of America, and less than
Il half score of bales cX-
ported. Forty years thereafter the
export increased to Il fraction over one hum
drcd bales. Five years after this, in 1913,
Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin, which
has stimulated the cotton culture within the
century between l7SS and lSSS until the
product of the hundred bales of the former
period has been succeeded by the 6,500,OO
bales of the present. Until within the last
| score of years the fiber constituted the cX-
elusive marketable product of the cotton
| plant, and all other partS-sCcd and stalk
alikc-werc esteemed refuse, and compare
lively of little value, except AS they might
contribute in some form to the fertility of
the soil from which they sprang,
Investigations within the last two decades
have revealed the fact that this interesting
plant possesses other values than
those furnished by its bOlls. The
root supplies an excellent dye,
the stalk, Il coarse, but abundant and valu-
able fiber, and the seed, an oil, with multi
piled and important uses, and reSidium of
and aS fertilizer No adequate appliances
| have been devised for treating the root and
the stalk, nor any considerable capital in
vested in their development. But the seed
of the cotton has been II subject Of many
experiments; has called forth for its utliZa-
tion many chemical and mechanical devices:
has invited and secured the Investment of
large capital and become the basis of an inn
pOrtant and rcmuncrativc industry. The
American COttOn-Secd possesses values not
vet appropriated by its producers; holds
mysteries not set explored or revealed; pre-
Scnts promises aS yet neither claimed nor
practically realized, and when contemplated
in connection with the results of the prcva-
lent process of handling il and the new
methods that are proposed for its treatment,
will supply an occasion for the surprised ana
admirng exclamation of the Queen of
Shcba, when bcholding for the first time the
glory and wisdom of solomon and rcciting
the traditions relative tu him and his grand
estate that had reached her: "'rhc half has
not been told.
Under the present treatment the 3,5oo,ooo
tons OF American COttOn-Sccd are practically
excluded from all foreign markets. Access
is denied for this product to either the En-
giSh, French, German or other European
consumers. The demand for it in Europ,
exceeds the supply, but that demand and the
| llllIhtl NIltll u measures are Us ubSbll'lS
unavailable and worthless To the American
producer as if they were dream instead oi
facts; iictiuns instead of realities. The Euro
pcan consumer can not come 10 ~
; more than We can 60 10 him. II ",
ship him our seed, ar If Ii,
purchase and ship, the commodity delivered
would he almost rs worthless aS Il cargo O
delicate costly fruit, which had rottcd in IL
long transit from the point of production Il
that of consumption. The cotton planter IL
this relation, is in the condition of the capi
talist who finds no opportunity To- invest hh
idle capital, or of the manufacturer, VIII,
finds no market for his surplus manuinc'
turod products, The mills and rciincrc'
that supply the home market for cuttun-Sccc
do not appropriate Onc-siNth of the nggrc
gate product; that which they do appropriate
from defective methods of treatment, ylcld'
only unc-hali of its values Ia the producers
! WhitnCyS invention, the cotton GIN, pro
vidcd I'm adequate method of separating til,
lint from the seed, and as necessary Incl
dent of this, greatly improved the dcatchrt
fiber for both transportation and ready sub
sCqucnt conversion INTO manufactured pro
duets
/ What hc did for the fiber, some suilcicn
genius must do for the seed. As the lint wa
useful commercially only in proportion I,
. its entire severance from the seed, 81 I'll,
, commercial value ofthc seed depends upon
It's entire freedom from the lint
me COllOll pln bl W nllltS, ana llS IN
proved and perfected successors, while
| rendering available the long lint tina
supplies the worlds clothing left
short, and, for textile purposes, II rcla
lively useless fiber, still adhcring to tn,
seed This adhcring fiber by its absorption
of moisture when The seed is shipped in bull
, any considerable distance, breeds Il lcrmcnta
ton that destroys the value of the seed, botl
$ for the production Of oil and oil cake, Il
such an extent hS to render the Shipmcn
unrcmncmtiyc, Even il 1t were ShippcC
/ in bulk and reached the European market
. iunmjurcd, it would still be in Il condition I,
he ground and pressed oHiy by the decorti
| eating method, which would leave onc-hal
! the value of the seed unappropriatcd an'
unutliHcd.
, The English method of treating seed io
/ the production of oil and oil cake is esteemed
, the best in practical use, but this methO,
. could not be applied to the American seet
, 50 long rs the short fiber adhered 10 il, TIN
English use the clean Egyptian seed in pref