The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1895-03-19
DISPOSAL OF COTTON SEED.
Paper Read Before the L. L. Polk Alli-
ance Recently by Bro. F. e. Emery,
of the N. c. Experiment Station

ibis Is question or VITAL importance
to this whole country. What shall be
done, and what shall be the considera-
| tion if sold or exchanged? Or, to what
shall the seed be fed and for what pur-
poseH
| Since the days when cotton seed was
dumped into the bayous of Mississippi
and Alabama, or accommodating in great
quantities, gins were moved to get
away from the mass of waste, a change
| has been wrought out. This seed has
been the subject of study and a source
of wealth because Of its content of GER
tain articles of value to man when
properly extracted and prepared. The
preparation of these articles has come
to be a great industry worthy Of our
respect. 1t has through seeking profit
able employ ment turned back to the
seed growers considerable value where
before little if anything was received.
This has been in brief, the history of
other Industries.
AS new uses have been found for
what had previously been waste prod
ucts, capital has interested itself and
found d--.remunerative employment in
lines but recently thought of and ex
plored. Only a few years ago the saw
dust from our numerous lumber mills
was wholly waste. 1t was run into the
rivers and has done great damsgein
various ways, obstructing channels,
|
destroying the fnny tribes which for
merly served as food Of Importance to
macy people. With the advent of
steam this sawdust was partly used for
fuel. then turned into paper, and now
we hear that it is becoming the bulk Of
a new kind of bread which can be
made in Europe, cheaper than wheat
-four bread, and thus once nuisance
becomes food for the people. A cheaper
food product may or may not reduce
the values of our food crops, but other
agencies are at work which do not re
duce our values, and at the same time
by a subtle but inevitable logic in
creases the cost Of production
This is true of more of the staple
products Of your farms than you can
believe at first thought, but dwell on
the subject; study it with the best in
formation you can command, and you
will find ourselt drifting into rapid
" narrowing vortex Formerly there
was margin enough between cost of a
crop and the price it would bring to
assure a comfortable living to the cul
tivator of the soil. The yield decreases
as a natural consequence Of robbing
the soil of too much of it's fertility and
exchanging the resulting product for
too little Of come other article Of ma
terial wealth to support the cultivatOr
and restore to that soil the excess with
drawn. Competition is said to be the
life of trade, but woe it is to that indi-
vidual or community, who has to stand
behind lively competition and fur
nish material products at lower, and
continually lower prices. Do you not
feel this in the price of cOttOn9 This is
only one article Of commerce, but it
happens TO be the one we are interested
to discuss III the interest OF the people
who make 1t possible for others to
amass wealth by dealing in it, manu-
featuring it, and handling it's seed
products; slso for people to enjoy the
comforts and pleasures derived from
so many of the necessary and luxurious
uses to which the cotton lint con-
tributes in the world.
1t is not proposed to lay down a fat
here by which this staple may be en-
hanced in price. That Is an improbable
thing to do in this age, and with the
conditions which confront the Ameri-
can people. 1t is, however, proposed
to give this audience some food for
thought as to whether we shall, as in
dividuals or collectively as a COM
munity, gather and use our own twigs
for our own purposes, or turn them
over to some commercial fellow to sell
where they will become clubs to drive
Us out OF the market places, general or
local. More thoughts on this line crowd
, Tor place than l have time to give, and
IN the hasty preparation perhaps the
pest may DOG be chosen. If those
selected serve to awaken thoughts
enough to stimulate few to action.
my object is accomplished. Example,
which ls better than precept, will then
step in, you will lead each other far
ahead of my sight in the line under
taken
Within the past four years cotton