The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-03-31

lions. Ten years ago the figure was
thirty-three million gallons. Twenty
years ago the figure was thirteen MIL
lions. That's about the gait.
Now comes the strides OF the cot
ton oil industry with the cattle situa-
ton. There are not more beef cat
tie In the country today than there
were probably thirty years ago. For
the last few years the number or peer
cattle has been steadily decreasing.
The farmer is not turning very faSt
to cattle raising, if he is not turning
away from it. He is taking to max
ing those things that are complete IN
the one operation, instead of TO tnose
that require two operations AXE max
ing feed for cattle and then makin
meat of the cattle.
Back Of all this is another factor.
During the winter it was in evidence
through this section, as it has been
in other parts of the State. Commits
sion men in the cities farther north
are making q practice Of coming to
the South to build up a business OF
growing certain crops that can be
sold. The commission man wants
fruit, garden stuff, potatoes, and
things of that character. Many men
| insist that the American Tobacco
Company is behind the tobacco move
ment that is. gaining such Roadway
all over the State. And why? Be
cause the factory must have a supply
Of raw material to enable it to run.
About a yea ago a big cotton
| mill mar was in North Carolina from
the North looking for a site for a
cotton plantation Of some ten thou
sand acres where he desired to raise
about six thousand bales a year to
run his mill. That man did not want
to go into the business Of planting
cotton. He wanted cotton for his
mill. and he wanted to make sure
| that he could get it when he wanted
it, and that he would not have to be
continually at the mercy Of the mar
ket vagax'es When he wanted cot
ton.
Thing To Be Reckoned With.
Their is a thing that is to be con-
sidered presently in f~oreCaSting the
future Of the farm in North Caro-
lima. The mill men will have to for
tify themselves by a closer touch
with the farm, just as the steel mills
long ago made safe by buying big de-
positS of iron ore up IN Minnesota
and Wisconsin, and by building iro
furnaces and boats to carry the ore
down the lakes, so they might be
sure Of their raw material.
When the cotton mill men are pro-
viding for their wants by operating
plantations big enough to supply the
cotton needed the oil mills will be
looking out for a supply of cotton
seed, even if they have to regard the
cotton as a side product, for the
country in a few years is certain to
find the demand for oils Of all kin
far o~utstripping the production, and
the oil mill men will be cipherine
out a way to get the material from
which to extract oil.
Whether we want to or not it is
likely we are to become more vege-
- 49, - ~1:l - Ho &-,
than in the past, for while meat car
4 be made it takes too many acres te
supply the human ace with meat fooG
when a fraction as much land viii
sustain the same number of people
on vegetable food. Man is a relentless
prosecutor of anything that stands il
his way. He has crowded most o.
the big animals off Of the earth. HI
will crowd cattle off in the course O.
, time, and possibly wen the pig will
| have a close call. Chickens may stay
) for they are little and can
date themselves to small area. AS tn.
crow and the pig decrease in mum
bers the oil mill must expand still
more. AS people increase the oil mil
must grow. At the last census tn,
peanut crop had increased to clos,
8 to three times what it was ten year
t before. The same way with the cot
ton seed crop, measured in sellin.
. value. COtCOn SEED now ranks anon,
: the leading crops of the country. N,
: other crop made any thing like sucl
gains in the same period except beans
and the bean is another product tina
b is capable of making oil.
e The cotton seed crop now is wortl
e much above a hundred million dol
lars a year. What it is to be wort]
no mar can foretell, but it's value, a
e we'll AS the size Of the cotton Gro,
is certain to be based largely on tn
ability Of the country to supply tn
various kinds Of oils needed and i
the quantities essential to the want
of the human race.
y Even corn is being called on /
d furnish a certain amount of oil now
y adays.
- Cotton Firmly Established.
d Cotton is established in North Car
q DINA, and it is no surprise to Sc
the crop planted in bigger acreac
a each year. The increasing numbe
Of spindles calls for an increased SIR