The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1900-10-19
COTTON SEED AT 20 CENTS.

Cotton seed seems to be on an ex-
traordinary boom, tae price OF seed
has advanced from SD per ton at the
beginning Of the season to tho very
STU. figure 81 per ton, snl even
more has been pal by some mills.
We can hardly realize the fact that
only few years ago cotton seed were
considered almost worthless, and tons
Of them were haulel to the rivers
annually and dumpe in to get rid of
them. The cotton seed has in recent
years, however, become an important
factor, and there seems to be as great
demand for the seed as for the fleecy
staple itself. A cotton seed buyer
can now be found ut nearly every flag
station along the various rail road
lines that worm their way through
the cotton growing belt. Wish cot
ton at ten cents and cotton seed at
500 ton, there seems to be II bright
future in store for our southern farm
er after all. 1t is claimed hat 500
ton for cotton seed is out Of al reason
and that mills cannot afford to make
oil from seed at that price. The high
price is caused by competitive mills
bidding for the seed and they know
that the longest poll knocks down
the persimmons; but the farmer is
MT worrying himself over what is
ctusing the rise in price. One thing
he has learned, however, that he is
not likely to soon forget, is that sup
ply and demand control the price OF
his products, and that glutted
market means low price while II
short market means good prices. 1t
is long lane that has no turn, and
it seems that things are beginning to
come the farmers way at last. So
mote it be.
We clip the following on the sub.
set from Charleston correspond
ence to the Atlanta Constitution
Manufactures of cotton seed oil
il this state are up against propo-
sttion which has already closed fouc
&C more Of the largest mills, AMI
| which will likely cause other mills to
close down. At the beginning Of the
season the market price Of seed was
| %l2 per ton. Later the quotation
ranged about the $17 mark. This
after price was set by the Atlantic
Cotton Oil Company, which operated
four Of the largest mills in South
Carolina. Since then the price ha
bounded past the $50 quotation, and
there is chance that it will even go
higher.
| Years ago the farmers used to emp
ty cotton seed in the gullies, and
now the seed bring 30cts bushel.
The manufacturers claim that when
the seed are bought for $50 per ton,
anywhere from 81 to So is lost in the
transaction by the oil people. There
is no expected advance @ dnd il ihs PrimSf imSis IF
which are now buying seed at 500 are
engaging in the widest speculation.
According to some Of thu mill men,
refined Oil can be bought in New York
~ cheaper than it can be manufac-
tured by the mills paying $40 ton
for the seed.
The situation is n serious one
said well-known manufactures to-
day. The policy which some of the
mills are pursuing by paying 500 n
ton for seed is destructive. The
cause OF the advance is two-fold
First, there is the late season anil
The opening Of ten or more mills in
the state. The new mills ara apv
ious to get down to business, and
most Of them are buying at 500 or
thereabouts. The demand and price
OF the product Of the seed, viz: hulls
meal, oil and linters are not OF such
a nature to warrant the safe buying
OF seed at 500. The mills are sim DIV
| cutting each others throats, and IL
seems impossible to reach any agree
ment whereby the price can be regu-
| lated"