The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1906-09-08
FARMER AND PLANTER
THE VALUE OF COTTON sEED
A Subject Of Interest az the Cotton
Picking and Ginning Sea-
son Approaches.

The price for cotton seed is fixed
largely by the current price of the
oil, SO far as the oil mills are con-
cerned. The mill people regard the
oil In the seed as the main product,
because the price of the oil crushed
from a ton of seed is nearly twice
as great as the price paid for the
meal, and nearly four times the value
of the hulls, and seven times as val
liable as the amount of lint secured.
Hence we find that the price Of the
seed as fixed by the mills is regulated
by the price of oil.
ManuriaI Value of Seed.
Let us look for moment at the
value of the actual plant food in &C
bushels. or one ton, of cotton seed, and
see if the farmer can afford, from a
fertilizing standpoint, to part with his
seed at even $12 per ton. We find that
ton of cotton seed contains 62
pounds of nitrogen, 26 pounds of phos-
phoric acid and "a pounds of potash.
These fertilizing ingredients are
worth, at the lowest estimate, $3.50.
That is what they would cost at whole
sale spot cash prices in commercial
fertilizers. In addition to the actual
plant food as named, cotton seed con-
tains a large amount of organic veg
etable matter, which, when it rots, will
make humus and materially add to the
natural fertility of soil. All soil is
made from decaying vegetable or an
imal matter, and it is for that reason
that commercial fertilizers will not
enrich the soil. Now suppose we add
$3.50 additional to the ton to cover the
value of the organic matter in the
ton and 81 more for hauling and de-
livering to the mill-we find very
clearly that we can not afford to sell
a ton of cotton seed for less than SIG
per ton without sustaining an actual
loss, and will then receive no profit.
And yet we have not taken into ac-
count the value of the oil to the mill,
which should be considered. No farm
er, then, can afford to part with a ton
of seed for less than SIG per ton, be-
cause its manurial value at home is
fully worth SIG. Then if the mills are
not willing to pay at least SIC per
ton or 25 cents per bushel, then keep
the seed at home.
Exchanging Seed For Meal.
The most economical and profitable
method of handling seed with the
mills is on a basis of exchange. That
is, exchange the seed for so much
meal. Give ton of seed for not less
than 1,600 to 1880 pounds of good,
clean meal Don't take dark meal,
showing a heavy filler of hulls ground
in with the meal, but make the mill
owners agree in writing to furnish you
clean, bright meal. With the meal you
can then prepare to make your guano
at home. If you have too much meal.
q part of it can be easily sold and the
money received invested in acid phos-
phate and potash to make your home
mixture.
My earnest desire now is to call your
attention to the value of your cotton
seed as fertilizer, and to the fur
tier fact that if the seed are held
back from the market they will COM
mand higher prices, and enable the
farmers to make better and more sat
isfactory exchanges for meal. want
to also impress upon your minds as
fully as can that the solution of high
priced low-grade guanos, in which hun
dreds Of pounds of artificial filters are
used that are worthless; lies in the
proper handling of the cotton seed. Elk
change the seed for meal, and buy
the right quantities of acid phosphate
and potash, and make your own guano
at home. Without going into the value
of ton of seed to the mills at this
time, suffice it to say that SIG per ton
is the lowest figure a farmer can af-
ford to- take for his seed, and if he
wants profit then not less than SIS
to $40 per ton.
When the mills open the market at
bids from $40 to s12 per ton, simply
refuse to accept the offer and hold
for better prices. If the mills refuse to
pay more, then let the mills close down
and let the seed go back to enrich the
land where nature int aided for them
to go. 1t is time the far; lers were wax
ing up on the sale of their products
and having voice il the price at
which they are sold in the markets
Of the country.-Haryie Jordan, Month |
cello, Ca, in Progressive Farmer