The Louisiana populist., 1898-01-14
STOP THE WASTACE.
An Expert Tells How Agricultural Re-
sources May Be Increased.

The wonderful loss to farmers
brought about by the neglect to prop.
erly utilize the resources and to EN-.
ploy knowledge that is considered in
dispensable in other kinds of busi.
ness is one of the causes of depression
in agriculture. This is more particu-
larly the case in the South than else
where, although much has been done
within the past few years to check this
loss. The Southern people are just
beginning to appreciate the advan-
tages Of employing their other re-
sources than those of cotton produc-
ton. In the past the South has been
too largely dependent upon the colored
man and the mule. The result has
been, and will continue to be, so long
as they practice one-crop system,
that they will be subject to periods of
discouraging depression. In other
words, where the farmer put all Of his
eggs in one basket and meets with
some accident he is confronted by the
loss of his entire source of support
until nature has time to produce an
other crop. Should it fail second
and third time the poor farmer is left
in desperate way. In the South the
wonderful resources for feeding the
North upon early vegetables have not
been utilized as they can be. There
has been and will continue to be a
large wastage of products upon the
farm, most particularly in the failure
to properly utilize cotton seed and its
products.
Where favorable terms with the
cotton seed oil mills can be made it is
well enough to sell the excess of cot
ton seed and either exchange it or buy
cotton seed meal. The intelligent
farmer, with the aid of the experiment
station or the officers of the agricul-
tural college of his State, can readily
figure out whether it is more profta-
BILE to sell and buy or to keep and
feed or use as a fertilizer. If the far.
mer keeps his cotton seed he should
at once provide for feeding it to
stock. Cheap sheds can be con-
structed to properly protect the cattle
from the cold rains which are so try
ing on stock in the winter, and the
manure carefully preserved in a shed
will give the farmer q double profit.
In fact, [ might say treble profit.
For in this way, by preserving his
manure in the form of a compost heap
and mixing with it from time to time
some potash and moderate supply OF
phosphate, he would save the profit
charged by dealers in fertilizers and
secure to himself the profit of the cot
ton seed as o fertilizer and as feed
stuff. Besides this he would be able
to utilize the hay which is produced
in great quantities upon the Southern
farms and only needs to be harvested
and fed in order to make it profitable.
The use of kainit in a compost heap
cannot be too highly recommended, as
it preserves to the farmer his valuable
nitrogen and serves as preventive OF
waste upon the farm The addition
of the acid phosphate makes com
plete manure that is highly satisfac-
tory for all kinds of crops and on
almost all kinds of soil. We advise
every farmer to do some close figuring
and see if he can afford to sell his cot
ton seed at ten dollars ton or ex.
change it for 725 pounds of cotton seed
meal. 1t will be one of the most pro
fitable rainy days work he ever ditii
he will calculate all of profits and losse:
and carefully study how he could save
several dollars per ton by feeding stock
and preparing his fertilizers at home
He may find that heis selling his birth
right for mess of pottage when h'
parts with his cotton seed at prevail
ing rates. He may hnd that he cal
save largely by producing more fertili
ze.s upon the farm and by buying sim
ply the potash salts and the acid phos
phate necessary to properly utilize hi
present wastes.
Stop the wastes upon the farm. Uti
lize its products in an economic man
ner. Prevent loss to live stock ant
fertilizers by exposure to the weather
and cold drenching rains. Avoid in
judicious sales of valuable farm pro
duets and the purchase of. fertilizer
that, should be saved upon the farm
Where fertilizers are bought let then
be supplemented to those produced
upon the farm, and purchase those in
gradients necessary to perfect the fer
tilizer products of the farm. Avoi'
wastage of labor by cultivating un
profitable lands and see that all cult
vated land is we'll fertilized
DIR. JOHN A. MYERS,
ES-Director West Virginia Experimen
Station.