The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-06-28
WEALTH IN.CoRNsTALKs

! Some years ago Mr Edward At
kinson, of Boston, in talking of the
cotton plant remarked that if the
Yankees had it they would make
money out of the stalk if they didn't
make cent from the lint, but we DO
not know that any one has said that
the cornstalk would ever reach such
commercial Importance as to be a
leading factor among the products of
the farm, in this respect resembling
the cotton seed, which for genera
tions was looked up as sort of nuj
sance on the plantation. The corn
stalk has heretofore been practically
of no value, simply being permitted
to rot and turned under when plow-
ing time The following, which we
clip from the Savannah News, shows
how the corDstalk is coming to the
front as thing of value and some of
the various uses to which it is
adapted /:
"Our farmers have reason to regard
with aversion our numerous tariff
protected trusts. but the farmers on
the prarie lands of the west at least
will probably view with favor the
fifty million.dollar cornstalk trust
which is being organized, it is stated,
to make market for the ESQ, 100000
tons of cornstalks tha: go to waste
every year.
'.Tbe corns.alk is to be developed by
the new trust into q commercial COM
modify. as cotton seed we're few
years ago, and it is believed that
there are millions in it." According to
the New York Commercial. our farmers
have hitherto been throwing away
5000, ,Oo0,0 600 year 10 stalks. The
yield Of stalks averages three tons to
the acre. the acreage averaging 8O.-
000, 900, and bat fraction of this is
utilized as fodder. Durieg the last
20 years our farmers have destroyed,
it is estimated by the Commercial,
S18, 900, 100000 worth of their pro-
duct-a value equal to the sum totsl
of their mortgages plus the public debt.
This SUN the new faust proposes to
enable the farmers 70 put in their
pockets during the next score OF years.
.sSix different commodities are pow
beinp manufactured from cornstalks.
namely. cellulose, worth $400 a ton,
used by the government as an auto
matte hole stopper for battleships ;
excellent cardboard, fine grade OF
paper, an uuequalled foundation for
dynamite, patent cattle food aud
superior glue The value of the
cellu'ese lining for warships is we'll
known. When q leak develops the
oellulose swells in such manner as to
automatically close it. With Is tons
Of stalks, worth $50, one ton of such
cellulose is made, for which as already
stated, the government is now payiug
at the rate Of $400 ton. Two facso.
ries. one in Rockford, Ill.,. aud another
in O~ensboro, Ky are now making
co:nstalk cellulose. together With other
products Of less value. As respects
the cornstalk cattle food. it is stated
that the stalks when ground to coarse
meal. cooked, sweetened With molas-
ees and pressed into cakes, form one Of
The most nutritive and valuable foods
yet placed on the market. The
absorpti,e power Of celluloae dust 6ts
it admirably for the msnufaoture OF
dynamite by mixing with nitro-glyee-
riae. such dust being superior even to
guucotton. Five factories. says the
Commercial, are TO be At once erected,
in addition to those already 10 operation.
TIE more the better. Il is the good
fortune Of the proposed combine that
it will, if successful. have for its object
to enlarge, or. 10 fact. create, an indas.
| tr,. not to stif1e it. "