Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1907-11-20
Beef Cattle n Profit on the Farm.

The average farmer thinks he is a
specialist, and that be is wasting
time and money in trying to do any
thing else. There is theory that
In the limited area in this world
where cotton may be successfully
grown, and among the comparatively
few men on earth who really under
stand the production of cotton, 1t
would be perversion of nature for
these few men in this limited area
to attempt anything but to grow cot
ton. The thin1 which stands in the
way OF this argument is the great
subject of by-products. There is
scarcely a manufacturing enterprise
in the world to-day that could prof
tably continue business on the basis
OF the production of one single arti-
Gle, without the utilization Of the
other products which are the Incl
dental output in connection with the
main article.
Not many years ago, the cotton
farmer overlooked the fact that his
product was seed cotton. He thought
1t was lint cotton. He threw the seed
away, and would have thanked any
one to haul them off the farm. But
now, every producer of cotton knows
he could not survive without taking
into account the enormous value of
his cotton seed, which might be called
a by-product. If he raises 100 bales
OF cotton, worth about $4,000, he in
cldentally raises so tons of cotton
seed, which he can sell for about
$1,000, thus adding to the value of
the main crop about IS per cent.
Ih1s Is per cent would be considered
Dy any manufacturer as a fine profit
httt
become so well known that it is no
longer discussed as a mooted uues-
ton.
There is a by-product of the farm
that is just as obvious as cotton seed.
and is now just as widely ignored as
was cotton seed forty years ago. This
is cattle raising. 1t is even more
than by-proGuct. 1t is almost a
necessity. The intelligent raising of
cattle on farm in the cotton region
costs less money (though perhaps
more conscious thought) and pro-
duces more return than any other
one branch Of the business. 1t Is
not alone in the market value Of the
beef or dairy products, but it is in
the almost immeasurable value to the
cotton lands themselves. The cot
ton farmer who raises large herds Of
cattle becomes, In sense, a manu-
facturer who uses raw material Of
his own production, and makes a fin
ished product OF high commercial
value, while the process Of manufac-
Lure not only costs him nothing-ex-
cept thought-but actually adds to
his resources in the enrichment Of
his lands, so he can grow more cot
'on and produce more beef which
, n Id Inn,
on and produce still more beef.
Ihe present commercial value Of
cotton seed meal is based on one of
.wo things, according to the locality,
namely CD the value of it's nitrogen
IS fertilizer, in comparison with
he value Of the nitrogen in other
,vailable fertilizing chemicals; or
l2) the value Of its nitrogen as a
eed stuff in comparison with the
'aluc of the nitrogen in other avail
'ble feed stuffs. But now the great
md comparatively new truth Is being
discovered that, with the proper ma
iipulatiOn, the true value Of cotton
eed meal Is not an alternative one,
'ut cumulative one, that is, it's
'alue Is made up of the sum Of the |
nitrogen value as a feed, and the |
nitrogen value as q fertilizer. This |
ruth cannot long remain dormant; |
'ut while 1t Is dormant to the far
ner who does not read and study, Is |
he golden harvest time for the far |
ner who thinks. When he buys a |
on of cotton seed meal at its feed |
alua say $28 per ton, he should |
se this value as a feed, and should |
ave the resultant manure from the |
attic, and use the fertilizer value of |
he meal, say $28, and thus make
90 per cent on his investment in
zeal, and realize as an incidental
roft. all of the beef Cor the butter
s the case may be- which his skill