The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1902-10-01
THE ADVANTAGES WHICH ACCRUE
TO THE FARMER
Some Of the Profit lie Realizes by the
Establishment of Cotton Seed Oil Mills.

seed oil mills. The interest of the two
are mutual and inseparable. A very
large part OF the products OF the oil
mills is now returned to the farm and
practically all of IL in some form can
be utilized.
The mill provides a profitable market
for the surplus seed, and returns the
product to tho farmer, with greatly
enhanced value in n finished condition.
While the larger part of the business
between the mill and the farmer is
conducted on basis of barter and cx-
change, it does not actually differ
much in results from the toll system OF
the corn mill.
The oil mill purchases the seed In
the open market, and sells it's products
In the same way, but ultimately, all
or the hulls and meal should get back
to the farms from which the seed were
shipped. While this is now the result
in many cases, il is not as common or
general as the practice should be. Ev-
cry pound of these two products pro-
duced in the South should be returned
to the land. either as fertilizer APP
piled direct, or stock feed, the latter
much TO be preferred. as their value
in that way is immensely increased
About 1880 a cotton seed oil mill was
established at Columbia, s. c. The
historian of the time only considered it
of sufficient Importance to Congratu-
late the ''public-s spirited" citizen who
had enterprise enough to establish the
business, but did make the further
comment that the owner expressed
from cotton seed a very fair grade of
edible OIL No further reference is
made to this beginning OF the bust
ness, and 1t can only be inferred that
the improper handling of the product
or the prejudices OF the people against
this edible OIL prevented it from be-
ing successful. In 1850 Aldigee
found thousands of tons of
seed dumped on the commons. and
placed under guard to prevent the
COWS from eating them, as they were
regarded as poisonous to cattle.
From such conditions has grown q
magnificent industry that has added
millions to the value of Southern
farms, increased the traffic of the rail-
roads, established an immense foreign
trade with this country, earned fair
returns for it's promoters while giving
employment to thousands of men al
rsmuneratiNe wages. many of whom
otherwise would be idle at the season
when their work is required at the
mills.
In all Of this development the great
est benefits have been derived by the
farmers. The mills have taken the seed
which prior to their establishment
were either lost entirely or wastefullv
used, and converted them into valuable
products, easily and economically
handled resulting in the cheaper pro-
duction OF crops, and increased yields
per acre.
Raising and fatteninG cattle has been
one of the interesting features of this
development. The fattening of cattle
IN the South for market, outside. per-
maps, or the Texas ranges was nm
known before the extensive use of cot
ton seed hulls and meal. At present.
almost every neighborhood is raisin1
few head of cattle for the butcha1
on this feed, and in many sections
numbers of cattle are being fattenel
In this way. AS this business increases
II VIII be followed by the erection OF
psaehing ts houses IN the South with all
the advantages of such industries
ANY landowner can make fatteninC
cattle profitable. 1t has been chemi
cally demonstrat ted, sustained by prac-
tical tests that the droppings from cat
Tie led on cotton seed meal is equal in
feeding value to the meal itself applied
directly to the land. No other feed
has any such comparative value.
When this is considered, the immense
advantages derived by the farmers
from the establishment of cotton seed
oil mills is realized even if no other
benefits accrue, but when the abund-
ance and cheapneSs of hulls is consid-
ereG, and their value to the farmer
and feeder recognized some idea is
given of the splendid work and advan-
tages the other mills have accom-
plished towards the DEVELOPMENT of
southern agriculture.
In almost any season, regardless of
the price of seed and products, the
mills of the Southern Cotton Oil Mill
company Of the Carolinas and Georgia
VIII give back to the farmers all of the
meal and hulls produced from the seed
In exchange for the seed, rescrving
only the oil, and small amount of short
lint to cover transportation charges
cost OF working, interest on investment
and profits. No more liberal division
OF the profits between manufacturers
and consumer has ever been accom-
plshed. 1t makes the business CO.
operative. returning to the farmer all
that is of any value to him, in a goat
ly improved condition, and consequent
iy greatly increased in value, and
leaving with the mill only that part
or the seed universally regarded as de-
trimehtal in it's natural condition,
elther as a feed or fertilizer, from
which the mill must realize ali of it's
expenses, including cost of working.
The Oil is converted at the refineries
IN savannah into pure and whole
some substitutes for lard, known as
Paimatina" and "Snowdrift." and is
given back to the consumers table as
deiicacy at low price, or as a pure
cooking oil, as Wesson Cooking Oil.
Ihe refuse or waste from the refined
OIL Is made into soap, and sold back
az a cost that places it in the reach of
the poorest. The lint is made into
az a price that makes it possible for
the bedrooms OF the humblest cottage
10 be comfortably furnished.
In buying or raising cattle to be fat
tened on hulls and meal, every ,ffort
should be made to secure good beef
producing breeds. A prominent and
successful packer is authority for .hc
statement that the improved breeds
will sell on foot for three times as
much as the common stock.
The consumption of beef in the South
1ar exceeds any previous period II
can be met by home production If
Southern farmers will use all the huIls
and meal made by the oil mills, with
out drawing on the West. AT present
only about one-fourth of the cotton
SEED meal Is consumed where it is pro-
duced for feeding and fertiIizinp crone
the balance finding a market either in
Europe or in the Eastern or Western
States.