The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-03-06
POSSIBILITIES IN CorroN.
some Important Encts Gathered by
Dr. Charles ~. nnbrcy

fhc February number OF the South
EN- STATES" magazine, published ut Bal
tlmore, contains two cOnspicuouSly able
ana noteworthy articles from the author
itative pen OF DR.. Charles w. Dabney,
~, assistant secretary OF agriculture.
They deal with practical questions. the
Utilization OF CottQnsecd and the pros
poets and possibilities OF the crop for
the next twenty-five years
INC extent to which the seed might be
oSeu Is manifest in the statement, based
upon scientific calculations, that proper
~ handled. the seed OF the crop OF 1886
onght to Yield IN round numbers 800,
100000 instead OF $4,000, 900, which may
be expected AT present the seed Is
used as feed, fertilizer and fuel. in adj
dltlon to Oil producers. and secondary
product OF feed and fuel Is fertilizer
There may not be al present q sufficient
number OF mills ana Of cattle 10 turn all
OF the seed into cash, but there should
be an impetus TO greater efforts in that
direction In q consdeia ton Of the DO
tential value Of the cottonsccd crop.
This Is rcckoned at $94. $50 800 after de-
Quoting 10 per cent. for loss and seed
ing. The total Is derived from Sal, 7h0, CNO
In oil, So. 100000 In lintcrs, SIG 0lG, 765 IN
hulls and meal made into live weight
Of cattle, and sla,332G27 in manurial
value OF hulls
An Increase OF $i0.600,000 ana more in
The total value OF the cotton crop with
out increasing the size OF that crop Is q
possibility worth considering by the
farmer.
lis Importance during the next twenty
five years Will become greater anu
greater rs the demand for cotton natu-
rally expands. This will amount to 20.
OH0,GlO bales by 1920, Dr.. Dabncy reck
ons. And he shows tina. the South
ought 10 be able 10 produce II If the
force Of labnrers Is developed proper
u ,,,il, :
IN the cotton regions, but so per cent
is in farms, bur 20 per cent Is I'M
proved, and only ) per cent. in cotton
There IS room. therefore. for expansion
10 meet he demand without ,renching
upon the land that ought to make each
planter practically independent nr his
cotton for living, and without refer
cncc 10 the economy arising from Il
steady advance in the improvements IN
methods OF cultivation.
In the last 100 years the total pro-
duction Of cotton was worth SIS 900. OD0.
600. exceeded only by that Of corn. It's
value In The next century will reach fig
nres that hardly may lie realized
Supplementary 10 Mr.. Dabncy's III
tic'cs, and appealing with the logic OF
accurate figures TO the Western farmers
casting about for a competency is the
article on cotton growing W wheat
growing. In II arc compared the costs
Of ,aising an acre Of wheat and one Of
cotton. AID the results Of the sales of
the production IN 1891, minimum yea!
FOR both wheat anu cotton. The conclu-
sions derived from official reports Of the
Department OF Agriculture are most
suggestive. The average loss per acre on
wheat was $5.53. and in Kansas. where
IL was grown cheaper tnan any other
place in the country, $2.SS. On the other
hand. the average pront per acre in
cotton In the worst years we have had
vas s2.AS, and in 1895 it was s523. This
Particular advantage, when considered