The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1891-05-14
How the Winning Of the Corn Prize
Ast0nished the North.

1 leaulu6 N6W LUX dSEACu4Gu1al PoP0A3
the substance of which is worth repeat.
ing for the benefit of our farmers, and
also because it shows few of the many
natural advantages the South enjoys
over other sections of the country.
In reply to the questions, if the farmers
of the North were not very muchssur.
prised when it was known that q South
Carolina farmer had taken the premium
for the largest yield of corn ever obtained
in this country, and that, too, in compe-
,tition with thousands of farmers in all
sections Of the Union, he replied: "sur-
prise does not express their feelings.
They were amazed and astounded,
because they had never considered South
Carolina as being in the race. The supe-
rior quality of the corn too, showing that
its feeding value surpassed the Northern
grain, was revelation to those of us who
had believed the reverses of this. But"
this interesting gentleman continued,
"while sll of that was bad enough for US,
something has since happened that has
given US even greater concern. The
American Pomological Society at its an
nual meetings awards whet is known as
the Wilder medal for the best one hum
dred varieties of apples exhibited by one
grower. Every fruit raiser in America,
who takes; any interest in his business,
strives to win this medal, and when it is
awarded there is never any question
about the merits of the award, for it is
always made by committee Of experts
whose judgment is above criticism. Well
at the last meeting of the Society this
medal was given to fruit grower from
Asheville, North Carolina, thus taking
away from the North, East and West,
and giving to the South, the premium
most highly appreciated by American
pomologists.
"These two results accomplished on
Southern farms," continued the CORE.
spondent, shave put Northern farmers to
thinking of the future competition in
markets that they had satisfied them
selves were exclusively their own. There
is another matter, however, and still
more important one than either that has
been mentioned, and it is this that has
brought me South at this time. Our far.
mers have some tins understood the
value of cotton seed meal as a stock food,
but it has only been quite recently that
We have heard anything about the value
of cotton seed hulls. If these have the
merit now claimed for them, and appa.
rently they have, it is evident that the
farmers in this section will before great
while become extensive cattle raisers.
MY information is that these hulls sell
for about 50 per ton at the mills, and
when this is compared with the price
paid by Northern farmers for timothy,
from $40 to s12 per ton, the decided ad.
vantage this product gives 10 Southern
farmers is realized at once, even after
allowing for the actual difference in the
feeding value of the two products. The
farmers of the North have long ago
reached the conclusion that their profits
must come from fruit, grass and live
stock, and if it shall now be shown that
they can be surpassed in these by the
South, it is difficult to understand from
what source their future earnings must
come"
These brief facts should give great en.
couragement to Southern farmers.
1t may be matter of interest in this
connection to state that the three oil
mills at Columbia have easily disposed of
all their surplus bulls during the past
season. One of the largest companies
engaged in the cotton seed oil business in
the Southwest fattened and exported to
England, the great beef eating country,
last year, over twenty thousand head OF
cattle on hulls and ration of meal.
Three years ago a farmer residing in
Berkeley County exhibited race colt at
the State Fair that was awarded the first
premium in his class. Inquiry developed
the fact that the colt had been raised on
cotton seed meal and sweet potatoes. a
prominent dairyman in the upper part OF
South Carolina, who has made dividend
Of 20 per cent. on his investment, testi-
fes to the value of the same food, and
reports that when he stopped feeding this
to his milk COWS and turned them on bis
young barley patch they lost both in
flesh and milk. If such results can be
accomplished generally, with such com.
paratively inexpensive feed stufs, it
is safe to ssy that stock breeding will
soon be a leading industry with our peo-
pie. This result will be hastened by the
development of the cotton seed oil indus.
try. There are at present thirty. one of
these mills in operation in South Caro-
lima, and they can furnish in an ordinary
season about 10000 tons of ,hulls. The
estimate of the Directors of the Tennes-
see agricultural experiment station is
that the cost of fattening cattle on hulls
with ration of meal is from si1 to nine
cents per day. The York statistical
agent of the national department of agri.
culture, in recent report of that depart
ment, says: Feeding for beef has been
the most unproftable of any stock feed
ing, and the conditions have had to be
exceptionally favorable in order to make
beef sell for enough to equal the cost
Compare this statement with the oppor-
tunities offered Southern stockmen in the
use of huIIs and meal and the possibili'
ties and profits are apparent.
So 49,. L.. a. RANSOM.
/ Calaa.bia, 81 c., ApriI %, 1891,