Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-12-13
SAVE THE HY-PRODUCTS,
USEFUL ON THE FARM
Don't Throw the Old Cotton
and COmStaIkS Away, They
Help the Land

It pays once in a while to think of
what is going to waste on the farm ev-
cry year. There is a better use for cot
! ton and cornstalks than letting them
stand all winter weathering and har-
boring insects. The cotton stalks should
be plowed under as soon as possible, if
the farmer has power" enough to do it;
otherwise, they should be broken, raked
and burned to at least get the fertility
value of the ashes. The same rule APP
plies to cornstalks Then, again, cut
ting and raking cornstalks and piling
them in noles where the land shows
signs of beginning to wash, is a valu-
able way to use this by-product.
And how about the manure that ac-
cumulates on every farm every year?
Is it allowed to go to waste, or is 1t
! gathered and distributed on the land
where it will increase fertility? The
average cattle feeder wastes enough
manure every eyar to pay for his feed
| ing equipment and the freight on his
steers to market. And then, by the
way, how about the wornout imple-
ments, are they allowed to remain out
in the weather and rust away? Or are
they taken apart and the valuable bolts,
nuts, rods and other useful parts saved?
small blacksmith shop, to make use
of this aste-material besides repairing
good implements, will earn good money
for its owner every season.
The same rule applies to waste wood.
When a single-tree breaks, is the whole
double-tree thrown away, or is it re-
paired with a piece Of wood from some
other discarded implement? The hard
wood in farm implements has many val
liable uses and the man VINO saves it is
making use of an expensive by-product.
Then take the strawstack? Is 1t left
in a huge pile for the stock to tramp
down, or is it fenced and used for bed
ding, or fed in Tacks? The most eco
nomical use of straw is for bedding,
even in the hog lots where 1t will catch
every bit of ammonia and other fertili-
zers, and then, when hauled on the fields
It will give back to the oil not only
these valuable elements but decaying
vegetable matter, which will make the
soil easier to work, hold the moisture
better, and wash away less readily
Even the weeds on the farm are a by
product many do not estimate. Plowed
under they add humus to the soil; but
this cannot always be done while they
are green. A better practice is to cut
and burn them, to prevent insects hatch
ing during the winter Clean fence rows
not only prevent insect damage, but
save posts from rotting and wire from
rusting.
And then, coming in from the fields,
how about the by-products indoors?
When there is meat for dinner, are the
scraps saved for soup or hash? Is the
extra fat rendered for cooking, or does
more go into the swill barrel than is
used for food? When the vegetable gar
den has more than the family can con-
sumo, is the surplus canned to cut down
grocers' bills later in the winter? And
how about the fruit that went to waste
this year?
All the economics in the use Of by
products do not belong to the great man
ufacturing establishments They have
no patent on the idea. 1t is free for
every man to use to his own profit.