The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1901-01-29
COMBINATION FOR COTTON FARMERS.

UlOl4S U4oD OOOlA4N W. SAO1@ H-OA
and result in their material Upllft-
ing. I wish to advocate a cO-Opera-
tive plant, consisting of a cotton seed
oil mill and ginnery, fertilizer plant,
farm, and beef-fattening pens, all
owned and operated by farmers. Ii
they have the capital, I would also
suggest the addition of cotton mill.
The first five mentioned would not
take so much capital, and would be
in easy reach of many Of our best
cotton farming communities. I will
go further and say that one such
plant could be run successfully in
each real cotton county in each of
our Southern States.
The good part about the scheme is
that the success of the undertaking
is not dependent on it's proximity to
any large town, and I might add
that it need not be near a town, but
must be on a railroad and in a good
cotton section. There is nothing
bought or sold in the local town to
speak of in the material used. The
main buying is done through the
country, and, Of course, this is from
the stockholders and their neighbors.
This would be cotton seed and beef
cattle to be fattened. Now, when
all of this material is worked up into
a finished product it will sell for
very much advanced prices, and not
IN the local market, but whole, and
on the markets Of the world.
Let US imagine such a plant for
convenience near a small town and
on d railroad. We will represent
the plant on Il thousand-acre farm
lying contiguous to town and bisected
by ID railroad.
The buildings, of course, are put
on the railroad and on the dirt road
for convenience. The cattle sheds
are located conveniently to the ware
house for using the hulls and meal,
and on the railroad for convenience
in weighing and shipping.
This whole plant, with all Of It's
branches, can be under one manage
ment. One good business man with
plenty of common sense, tact and
good judgment can manage the
whole thing by selecting a good
superintendent for each department.,
say one each for the cotton mill, the
oil mill and the farm these three,
with good foremen, could carry on
the business all right.
The superintendent of the cotton
mill would be busy the year round,
The oil mill superintendent would be
busy in the fall and winter with the
oil production and meal, and the rest
Of the yesr he could mix fertilizers
and assist elsewhere.
The farm superintendent would, of
course, be busy the year throughout
with his crops in the spring, summer
and fall, and in the winter f]attening
his cattle, numbering say anywhere
lIOIll OllG " live UllOCjNdI1u. 1IlC Eli
ming could be done by a practical
man able to help about the farm
when the ginnery was not running.
The labor could be shifted as work
and season required. In this way d
good force Of men could be kept on
hand all the time, and with the addi-
tlon of d few extra men in very busy
seasons the work would go smoothly
along with the same force.
Raw cotton, cotton seed and beef
cattle, phosphoric acid and potash
would be the only material bought.
Finished cotton products, cotton seed
oil, cotton seed meal and fat beet
would be sold. All Of these purchases
would be made from the surround
ing country, except the acid phos-
phate and potash, and these would
be bought in carload lots and at
wholesale prices.
The sales would be to the world on
the cotton goods and oil. The meal,
hulls and fertilizer would be sold to
the stockholders and country pat
rons, and when desirable these prod
ucts could be shipped in carload lots
to outsiders. The beef could be
shipped in carload lots to the large
cities. After d reputation was estab-
llshed in this lire buyers would
gladly come and purchase the cattle
on the side-track, thus avoiding the
uncertain prices of shipping. A cold
storage plant could very easily be