The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1901-08-27
correspondence
THE COTTON SEED PROBLEM.

Mueb mnortanoe-AetiOn Must be TAKEN
Promptly-short Corn and Cotton Crop
Should Insure Better Prices for Cotton
correspondence of The Progressive Farmer.
The State Alliance meeting for 1901
is a thing of the past, and only the
pleasant memories of it and the
work that was mapped out to be
done by the Alliancemen of the State
are left. It was trulya grand meet
ing. Greater unanimity after a ques-
ton was settled I have never wit
messed. To be sure, there we're diff
ferences of opinion in all the discus
sions, but every one yielded grace
fully who happened TO be on the side
of the minority. Such discussions
and interchanges of opinions T pro-
ductive of good. Aside from the
good work that was done, the recrea-
ton that the occasion afforded, the
renewing of former acquaintance
and the making of new ones will be
beneficial to every one who was pres
emit. It is a pity that our people can-
not have such re unions oftener. 1t
was quite a disappointment to miss
some of the faces that have been
meeting with US heretofore and who
have counseled with us in these an
nual gatherings, but it also vas a
pleasure to form the acquaintance
of new brethren who have inspired
us to new efforts and new hopes.
But the work of the meeting was
not finished with it's sessions it was
hardly begun. Nor can it be finished
with the year, but a start can be
made if each delegate and visiting
brother will be as enthusiastic in his
home Alliance and community as he
was while here at the State meeting.
In my opinion there were projects
put on foot that if wisely carried
out will unity the farmers of the
State as they have not been since the
days of the jute bagging trust.
Especially will the position of the
State Alliance on the cotton seed
question be of interest to every cot
ton farmer in the State. When it
can be shown that unity of action
and cooperation of all the cotton
growers will enhance the value of
the cotton seed crop in the State tens
of thousands of dollars, self-interest,
it seems to me, will again bring the
farmers together. All the advices
from the corn-growing sections of
the Union state that the crop is
short. From all the information
that I can get from different sections
of this State, it is evident that our
own corn crop wilPbe short. A short
corn crop means high-priCed corn,
and that in turn means h~igh-priced
meat and lard. Tt is a well-knOwn
fact that cotton seed oil enters large
ly into compound lard, b~utterine and
kindred articles. With a short corn
and meat crop there will be a de-
mand for cotton seed oil such as has
never been before. Prices will be
affected by those of bacon and lard.
Not only is the Western corn crop
short, but the hay crop is short. l
have seen where hay has sold in some
places in Kansas at 81 per 100 pounds.
A short hay crop there will cause ii
demand for our cotton seed meal and
hulls, thus running the prices OF
them up. It is quite likely that
more beef will be fattened on cotton
seed meal and bulls this season than
ever before, and they will not be cat
tie belonging to the Southern farmer
either.
A miller who had been in the mill
ing business out West for several
years told me that corn could be
shipped from there to New York,
via North Carolina, be unloaded and
ground into meal, reloaded and for
warded to original destination with
out additional freight charges. Al
Ready I am told cattle feeders are
trying to effect similar arrangements
for shipping their cattle. If they
do the demand for cotton seed meal
and hulls will run the price of them
up too, a condition that we do not
lament, for we have the material
from which they are made-the seed.
Now the thing for the farmer to do
is TO get in position TO share these
high prices with the oil mill men.
We can do it if we will. What say
the cotton farmers of the Stute?
There ia an old saving. GGTha Uods