Semi=weekly graphic., 1898-12-21
calculate yields per acre of starch as follows:

other factors, however, that demand attention in the manufacture of starch besides those mentioned, and one of the most important of these is the character of the refuse left after extracting the starch, whether it will be.suitRble for cattle food or not. The percentage of protein in the sweet potato is very small, thus rendering it very poor in one of the most valuable constit- uents, and making It of little value itself as food for stock; not so with corn and wheat, which contain ahout five times more of this yalua- ble constituent than the sweet pota- to, thus rendering their refuse val uable as cattle food. In addition, 1t is probable shat it is with the sweet potato as it is with the potato qrisb), that the nitrogen it contains is in a great part in the amide form, which has only about one-half the feeding value of the albumno.ds. ;"
 In letter to the Charleston News and Courier, discussing the factory project, the following points were made:
 The price which is proposed now to be paid by the factory in twenty cents per bushel. Now, can the farmers do it? It would be well for you to get some practical farmer, one who works and fertiizes well, to make a caleulation of the cost of an acre of cotton. and one of sweet potatoes.
 let us just now only Lake for example an acre of ground which will make bale of cotton. This bale Of cotton let us put at $25, and jrst now that will include value Of lint and seed.
 Now, how many bushels of pota- toes can be made on an acre of sim liar ground; 200 bushels-$40; BOO bushels $60; 400 bushels $50?
 "Now, on an acre of ground so fertilized and cultivated as to make bale of cotton, 400 bushels of Southern Queen sweet potatoes can be raised. Of course, all land will not make that many, neither will all lag d make bale of cotton or yellow wrapper tobacco, or thirty bushels of wheat, but it will do for calculating comparative cost and proceeds. In this calculation one must take into consideration the danger to any crop from the ele- ments, except potatoes.
 "Hail can't hurt them, wind can't, storms of rain cannot, earthquakes will only loosen the soil so they can grow bigger. Now, it has been de termined that the most prolific var ieties are the best adapted to the purpose-a wonderful providence, indeed It will take from 800 to 2,000 bushels per day to run fac tory. A small factory to use 800 bushels per day will cost about $8, GOO; to use 2,000, about $25, 900. To run four months, daily capacity 500 bushels, will take 300 acres, mak ing 200 bushels per acre; l50 acres, making 400 bushels. A frst-cass ginnery will cost g, 800.
 "Yet many individual men buy and operate such and count themselves lucky to make it pay for itself in two or three years.
 "Why could not some of the large farmers own and operate some of these small factories? If not strong enough individually, then several together. There are capitalists now ready to meet the farmer nan way Indeed, it may be possible to get the factory people to come, without any local capital invested, If the far ner will only guarantee the crop, and that is what this writer ants you to bring out; get farmers to figure on cost of production, and say whether they can do it, and then they can be introduced to the fac tory people.
 "This question Of supply Is the biggest one just now. As it is an entirely new venture in the South, factory people want 1t fully decided before going to work. Cotton mill rnen who use 8 large quantity of starch might consider the subject with profit. There are now three different sets of experts working on ] +ho Suhinct in the most fntellire nt