The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-10-02
FArTENrNa HOGS ON COTTON SEED


Raises Cotton, Can Make His Own Bacon
The many uses to which cotton seed is now
applied would DO something of a surprise to
the old planters who burned it mp to get rid OF
it. The fact that it would yield most valu-
able oil was a wonderful discovery, and at
once gave 1t a value and permanent market.
Its value was further increased by its being
made the base of our best commercial fertili-
zers, then the hulls which were a waste pre-
duct, were found to make excellent paper
stock. Their uses multiplied rs their value
increased, and now IL is announced that hogs
can be fattened on them as readily as on corn,
and that tho seed of every bale of cotton will
| make one hundred pounds Of bacon. If this Is
so, the lot OF the planter will not De hard
when lie can raise his cotton and his bacon by
the same effort In the same field.
Captain q. z. Greene, Of Toccoa, Ca, claims
to be the originator Of this new use for cotton
seed. In an interview in regard to it he says
II have been studying the uses and value of
cotton seed for fifteen years, Chemical anal
ysis showed that they preserved food value
equal to any grain, but how to feed them TO
any advantage, or how to feed them at all, was
to me, as to all others, 2 mystery. To separate
.he meat from the hull YVES impossible inthe
plantation, the lint remaining on the seed,
rendered them indigestible to most animals.
To boil them, which improved them some
what was a slow process. About this time |
had building burn down that contained sew
eral hundred bushels of seed. Much of this
was burned, but large amount was only fairly
roasted. / could not keep tho hogs from it,
and they seemed exceedingly fond of the roast
ed seed, although / was assured by every
body that it would surely kill them.
But ii did not. The hogs throYe on ii, and
como mp at Christmas time rs fat as any of
my neighbors hogs that had been fed on corn.
This gave rae an idea that / did not at once
profit by, but year or two later ] met al tho
first Atlanta Exposition gentleman who was
exhibiting some gins such rs were used in gin
ming cotton in the East Indies, an odd SORT OF
machine with about one tenth the capacity of
the American gin. He was very familiar with
the East India cotton crop, and | was surpris-
cd when no assured me that oil cotton seed
was roasted like COTE before it was fed to any
animal or ground into meal. This confirmed
my experience with the burnt seed and | set
about deYising some plan to properly roast
them. made number Of machines, nolp Of
which were satisfactory, and had sent21ne
from tho East Indies one of the machines
used by the natives Of that country, but this
was an nsignficanB affair and of no greater
capacity than yankee corn pepper, but it in
creased my stock OF ideas in that
direction, thor seed was different from ours,
was harder and frcer from lint, and this re-
quired q different treatment. Finally l
brought out a machine which seemed to sur
mount the most of these difficulties | had en-
countoToa This sent to my place in North
Carolina, where many experiments have been
in progress to determine its practicability and
value. One thing IL has demonstrated, and
fully, that hogs will eat roasted cotton seed
and get fat on them. For two years they fed
some corn with the cotton seed, but last year
the August treshet destroyed the last ear of
corn, and the hogs were fattened entirely upon
roasted cotton seed, and this year the corn crop
is gone again and the hogs will DC fattened
again on cotton seed. The seed cannot be ie
absolutely alone. 1t is quite too dry and con-
oentrated for that, but should be fod in con-
necton with some green food, such as pea
vines, potato tops, or even green c0rn-stalks;
that is, if the hogs are confined in pens, but if
they run out TO gra2e they viii need
nothing else. The seed being thoroughly dry
when roasted will grind very readily into meal
with or without the addition of little corn.
No systematic or extended experiments have
been conducted to ascertain the relative value
of cotton seed rs compared with corn; it was
found that pigs would eat roasted cotton seed
and do well, though they never saw corn
They were eager TO get II at all seasons of the
year. Chemical analysis showed that it was
rich in the constituents of flesh forming food,
and in practice il has fully proved itself to DO
such. We fed it because we had it, and were
able 10 so prepare il rs to make il palatabIe
and safe to feed.
We are abundantly satisfied with the result :;
We believe it clearly demonstrates that where
supplemented with suitable green food that a
hog can be raised and fattcned on the seed
from a bale of cotton.
This may not be making two blades of grass
grow where one grew before, but it has kept
bacon in smoke houses that before were often
empty 1t is the cotton planter who
most needs and oftenest lacks a supply of
| bacon, IL by feeding his seed in this
/ way he will be enabled to keep supply. and
| save something Of the vast sum that is yearly
/ sent to the west for bacon, he has increased his
/ resources and added to his income without I'D
/ ditional labor.
! will be glad 20 give any additional informal
| tion to parties who may be interested in this
| thing, and will send samples of roasted seed or
/ moal made from them that they may see what
il is like for feel well assured chat any experi-
/ ment, even in small way will satisfy the
most incredulous that there is bacon in cotton
i seed
Z