The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-09-29

at this time, and further, because OF the
appearance in the papers of partial list
of figures prepared by me, showing the
value of cotton seed as fertilizer, which
figures, because of their inconpletencss.
do not do full justice to my idea of the
4 value of cotton seed, l submit below 4
. portion of an article prepared for this
months Bulletin of the Department OF
Agriculture on the subject in question,
and request that you give space tc it. X
you think of sufficient interest at this
time. The matter below relates entirely
to the value of cotton seed as fertili-
GER which value, unfortunately, is the
most important one attached to the cot
ton seed in this State, and in fact, in
the entire South. I say this is unfortu-
: nate. for the greatest value of cotton
seed and it's products is certainly as
feed, but for the lack of stock North
Carolina, and the entire South. can not
get this value out of the seci and we
shall not be abla. to obtain from it what
we should until more stock are raised
to consume the seed and it's products.
feel that too great publicity can not be
given to this fact, as the feeding value
OF cotton seed. cotton seed meal and
hulls is not as fully understood in the
home of the cotton seed as they should
be. The feeding value, especially of meal,
is fully understood and appreciated in
the stock sections of this country, as
well as in foreign countries. Carefully
conducted experiments have shown that
one pound of cotton seed is equal to
more than enc pound Of corn for the
production of milk and butter and beef
and that one pound of cotton seed meal
\ ia IN Of fn
ing. These facts are of great Importance
just now when corn and other food pro-
ducts are scarce and high priced. Some
figures used by you in The News and OBJ
server few days ago in an editorial
show the great Importance Of raising food
products at home. The comparative
values used above for cotton seed, cotton
seed meal and corn are not based on theO-
retical considerations, but are the aver
age results obtained in a great many
feeding tests, in which the animals them
selves have shown by the amounts OF
milk and butter and beef produced that
cotton seed and cotton seed meal have the
high values assigned to them. Most OF
the cotton seed and cotton seed meal in
this State, however is used as fertilizer,
either direct or in mixtures, and this is
the most important use for 1T at pres
ent. 1t is we'll, therefore, to look as care
fully as possible into the value of seed
as fertilizer
COTTON SEED AND MEAL AS TERTILI-
ZERS.
Meal is much used as a source of am
monia in commercial fertilizers in the
cotton States. and the seed are used d.
rectly by farmers for fertilizer in no
small quantity. A ton of each cotton
seed and meal contain ammonia, phos
phoric acid. and potash ION basis Of
values given to these constituents in this
State) to the value Of:
One ton G., OOO) pounds) cotton seed con-
tains:
Ammonia rs lbs. at 14c... ;. ;. $1,000
Phosphoric acid, 26 lbs. at 4c... :. 1.O4
Potash, "a lbs. at sc. :. !. !. ;. ;. 100
Fcrtilizing value OF ton OF cotton
seed .Sl2.74
One ton $1,000 lbs.) cotton seed meal
contains:
Ammonia ITO lbs. at 14c.. :. ;. .$23. 80
Phosphoric acid Sc lbs. at &c :. ;. 2.24
Potash 26 lbs. at sc -. ;. =. ;. $50
Fertilizing value one ton cotton
seed meal &. .$27.S4
1t takes 26 tons of seed to make a ton
Of meal.
The above figures, expressing the fer
: tilizer value Of cotton seed and meal, are
on basis of prices quoted the past spring
for raw or unmixed fertilizer materials
in retail lots of five tons or less, for cash
at the factory. According to these valua-
tions, when kainit delivered on the farm
costs $3.50 per ton, Is per cent acid
phosphate $11.20, nitrate of soda $50 per
ton and dried blood $45 per ton, cotton
seed are worth as fertilizer $12.74 or
slightly more than 10 cents per bushel
of thirty pounds.
VALUE OF COTTON SEED ON THE
FARM.
The foregoing figures were stated to be
on basis of prices of fertilizer material at
the factory. The farmer would have to
pay freight merchants commission, and
cost of hauling to the farm, IL he sold
his seed and bought the same amount OF
fertilizer materials to replace them The
price OF seed should therefore be in
creased to meet this additional cost, and
would be something like the following:
When 13 per cent acid phosphate deliv-
cred on the farm costs S14 per TON, kalHlL
with 1880 per cent of potash costs $14 per
ton. and nitrate of soda $50. dried blood
of 16 per cent $50, and fish scrap 1872, then
cotton seed are worth on the farm $14.64,
as follows:
One ton seed contains
Ammonia, IS lbs, at 16c. :. ;. /. $1,000
Prosphoric acid, 26 lbs, at 5.4c. :. 100
Potash, "a lbs, at SIC. ;. :. ;. ;. ;. 1.34
Fertilizirg value of one ton seed $14.64
This is equal to % cents per bushei
of 80 pounds.
Or in case it is desired to buy
acid phosphate and kainit or some other
potash salt 20 use with the cotton seed
to make complete fertilizer for cotton,
corn, or other crops, the seed will have
still higher value, as the same amounts
of ammonia phosphoric acid, and potash
always cost more in mixed fertilizer
than in the unmixed materials. Looking
at the value OF seed as fertilizer from
this standpoint, when a mixed fertilizer
containing per cent available phosphoric
acid, per cent of potash and 2 per cent
of ammonia, costs, delivered on the farm,
SIS per ton, cotton seed are worth $16.34
per ton, as fellows: