The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-02-23
FARM, GARDEN
AND HOUSEHOLD
By S. A. COOK.


y. NJ C.-We have no reliable tests
bearing upon the question of the rela-
tive value of cottonseed huIls and sta
bic manure as a fertilizer for either
garden or field crops. There are oc-
casions and many of them, no doubt.
where even at 81 per ton, the huns
could be used profitably in the cultiva-
ton Of certain vegetables and fruits,
even though it might not be the case
with our ordinary field crops.
First as mulch and then later to be
incorporated with the soil to which 1t
hulls could be used very profitably in
growing Strawberries, celery and cauIi-
flower, especially and perhaps. a dozen
other crops. that when grown success
fully. pay large profits per acre, many
times more so than the ordinary style
crops For instance Irish and sweet
potatoes, cabbage, onions, tomatoes,
beans, etc.
In comparing hulls and stable manure
we can arrive at their approximate rel
alive value by considering their chem
ical analysis and their several charac-
teristics. We must remember, how
ever. that the huIls have not a variable
quality, such as stable manure has.
"4ulls are hulls," and ton of them
from one mill are exactly like those
from another mill a thousand miles
away. But stable manure from one
stable may be altogether different from
that from another stable in the same
block. You know exactly what you buy
when you buy a ton of hulls, Whlch Is
not the case when you buy or use stable
manure. IT..
Drv cottonseed hulls-hulls that
are not allowed to get wet never contain
over 94O pounds of water to the ton.
Stable manure may contain anywhere
from | 900 to 500 pounds OF water
according as it may have been cared
for. We can count on ton OF nuns
containing fully fifty pounds OF mineral
matter rich in potash and, besides
few pounds of phosphoric acld; also
fifteen pounds of nitrogen we can
easily calculate the commerCldl Ndlue
of the ton of hulls.
As observed a ton of stable manure
is a rather uncertain quantity in re-
spect to its valuable elements. II OF
good quality it will contain ten pounds
of nitrogen. twelve of potash and SIX
of phosphoric acid i'm the ton, l'oOO
pounds of which win be water, leaV-
ing 500 pounds of organic matter, which
holds the twenty-eight pounds oil val
liable fertilizing elements.
In country so short of rough forage
as the South always is, ii is not prop
or thing to do to use so valuable food
for sheen and cattle. as the hulls make,
directly as a manure. The hullS should
he used hrst as a food for cattle and
sheep before meeting its usage as ma
nure For wintering cattle the hulls
have a value so great it is pity to use
a single ton of them in any other way.
Thev should first be converted into
beef and wool and mutton. and only
applied to the soil afterwards, AFTER
having been converted into quickly
acting manure. A farm is not concern
cd with any sentiments or PHILOSOPHERS
involved in the consideration of this
question of farm economics. 1t is pure
" a question of adaptability- AS
rule. no doubt, the average farmer
would lust as soon use ear corn as fuel
10 keep him warm. as to use coal, II the
one was cheaper and answered the pur-
pose as well. and corn meal and wheat
bran and Cottonseed meal would salts
fv him Just as we'll for a fertilizer for
certain valuable crops as so much acid
phosphate, kainit or nitrate of soda, II
the one were known to be as good as
the other for the purpose. 1t Is a ques-
ton merely of economy, of expediency.
He does not concern himself with the
deeper economies involved in the ques-
ton.
The time is coming. however, when
he will do So BY degrees he will come
to appreciate the splendid opportunity
that we know is his for raising to
greater profit that any other farmer In
the world, beef. mutton, pork and last
but not altogether little. Angora goat.
the fleece of which will some day add
much to the income of thousands of
farmers in the South. That day is near
at hand when no Southern farmer will
be willing to use as a fertilizer any ma
terial that is good food for stock of one
kind or another. Cottonseed meal and
cottonseed hulls are special products of
the South. They constitute the cheap
est food that we can use in the produc
ton of beef and mutton and wool.
They should be used first as food, and
only used as a manure after they have
been converted into a form that is suit
able only for manure and nothing else.
1t has been shown that ton of cotton
seed meal, after being instrumental in
making several hundreds of pounds of
beef and mutton is still worth as much
for manure as 1t was before it was
passed through cattle or sheep. We
need only to save the manure and it
will then answer it's second purpose as
we'll or better than if it had been APP
piled in its original shape of meal or
hulls. True economy demands that
they should be made to answer two
purposes instead of one-food and ma
nure instead of just manure. Twenty
five years ago it was an almost uni
versal custom to apply the raw cotton
seeds as a manure for both field and
garden crops. Sometimes as much as
200 bushels was applied to an acre of
grain, but the average application was
about thirty bushels. And it invaria-
bly, paid. There are few farmers to-
day who would observe such a wastefuI
practice. Then cottonSeeds command
ed only s to 10 cents per bushel. To-
day they are valued at 25 to 30 cents,
and are intrinsically worth the money.
These cottonseeds have become the ba-
s1s of a great industry, giving employ
ment to many thousands of Workmen,
and simply for the purpose of extract
ing an ingredient that has no value as
manure, but is of great commercial
valne-the oil.
There is no question that the raw
seeds are a much safer food for cattle
and sheep than meal and hulls sepa-
rately. 1t is possible to feed an amount
of the meal that will work serious in
Jury to stock which is not the case
with either the seeds or the hulls Cat
he are not likely to eat more of these
than are safe for them to eat. In the
hands of careless persons cottonseed
meal may be a very dangerous food