The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1895-11-07
FARMERS COLUMNS.
J. L GEORGIA EN- ERNIE STATION
EXpEki EMF, GA

! III response To several inquiries as to
! ne terms on which Il farmer can afford
! 'oe&cnange his cotton seed Tor cotton
meal the following general and COM
prehenslve article h Us been prepared:
| l. IS WI y t. 4ArLl-" 10 under
stand the actual and relative and com.
merclal values of whole cotton seed
| ana cotton meal both fF food and for
| ierlilzlng purposes. According TO the
| pest authorities the following are the
| lertlllZIng contents of one ton each of
cotton seed and cotton meal; and the
commercial value of one ton of each.
passed on valuation of 10 cents per
| pound OF nitrogen. 5 cents per pound
or available phosphoric acid and cents
per pound OF potash:
In one ton of cotton seed there are 81
pounds OF nitrogen, 20 pounds of phos-
phorlc acid, % pounds of patash; the
| value OF one ton is $ll. 40, the value of
100 pounds is 81 cents.
In one ton of cotton meal there are
| l42 pounds of nitrogen, IS pounds of
| phosphoric acid, s6 pounds of potash.
| the value OF one ton is $25 81; the value
OF 100 pounds is ST. 49,
BY an easy calculation we find that
one ton OF cotton seed is equal in fer
cIlZlng value to $50 pounds of cotton
seed meal. This estimate takes no &c.
count OF the superior mechanical con-
dltlon of the meal, nor its greater con-
| centratlon, which involve less labor in
naullng, mixing. etc, and greater
! promptness of action when applied to
| the soil as fertilizer. The calculation
| is based solely on the contents of fertil-
| lzlng elements in the seed and meal
respectively, as shown by many analy-
ses. The advantages of this superior
| mechanical condition and concentra-
| ton are certainly worth something to
! to the farmer. In addition to these
advantages the cotton meal is in better
| condition for feeding to milch cows
and other cattle. Suppose we grant
5hat these advantages are together
equivalent to 10 per cent of the value
OF the meal Then deduct 10 per
cent from $50 and we have $50 less
80 equals 792 pounds of meal as the
approximate fertiliZing equivalent of
| one ton of cotton seed. In round num-
bers we will call it 800 pounds. Then
we have 800 pounds Of meal, equivalent
to 1000 pounds, or one ton, of cotton
seed, the exchange to be made without
expense of hauling to the farmer. 1t
seems then quite clear that farmer
cannot afford to exchange one ton of
] cotton seed for less than 800 pounds of
meal, free of the expense of hauling.
| With these simple data it should be in
the power of any farmer to decide for
himself whether given offer would
be reasonable or profitable for him.
Valuing cotton seed meal at $50 per
ton. the farmer would have a margin
of So to cover hauling expenses when
| the mill man offers him 1000 pounds
| of meal in exchange for one ton of
seed. How far can he afford to haul
one ton of seed toward the mill and
| 1000 pounds of meal to his farm. We
learn that some of the mills are offer
ing just the exchange above suggested,
viz: 1000 pounds of meal in exchange
| for one ton of seed, the mill to pay
railroad freight on the seed and the
farmer the freight on the meal.
l understand that the mills at pres
ent prefer to buy the seed for the cash
and store away the meal for future con-
| sideration land higher prices9 l have
| heard that the oil mill combine has
adopted 81 per ton as the maximum
price to be paid for seed until further
orders; and | have not heard of higher
offers than 20 cents per 100 pounds, or
/ IS per ton. But l have previously
shown that for manuring purposes cot
! ton seed are worth 81 cents per 100
pounds, or $1l. 40 per ton. 1t is mani
fest, therefore. that Sc, nor even 81, is
fair cash price for a ton of cotton
seed Now, if the oil mill will make a
corresponding reduction in the price of
meal and the farmer shall avail himself
of the same at once, no harm will be
done. 1t makes little difference how
small the price offered for cotton seed
if the farmer can get the meal at a cor
responding price. At Sc per ton for
cotton seed the farmer should not be
required to pay more than SIS per ton
for meal-the mill paying for hauling
and delivery, both ways.
| But should not the farmer receive
some part of the value of the oil that is
expressed from the seed sold? Ger
talnly. we would say, unless it be true
that the expenses of the mill plant, the
operating expenses and the exegencies
] and uncertainties of the trade-to
which should be added a fair percent
age for profit in capital invested-shall
require the full value of the oil ex.
tracted and the value of the remaining
by -products-the hulls and linters We
learn that one ton of coed yields the
following products:
Meal. .......................75 $50 pounds
Oil. ...............33 gallons or $50 pounds
| Hulls. .............. .9iS pounds
IlnterS.. ................ ~ pounds
| The 80 gallons of oil, at II cents -. s. 81
| The 918 lbs hulls, at So per ton. .... /. Al
| The 20 lbs. lffters, at cents per h.. 80
! Total, exclusive of the meal. ........$7 6S
If the mill man gives the farmer 800
| pounds of meal for one ton of cotton
seed (only 80 pounds more than the ton
of seed contains) he still has marketa-
BILE products to the amount of $76S,
less the value of 80 pounds of meal, or
about $3.50. Out of this margin of
$3.50, net products of each ton of seed,
how much will be required to pay mill
expenses, interest, wear and tear, profit
ON capital, etc? We are not prepared
to say. but it seems good wide mar
gin, and that the farmer should have
at least the value of 400 pounds of
meal, or say SD worth, which would
| @ a 20 ho @f