COTTON. 401 



money and pay the interest, rather than sell a product for a fair consideration, unless he had 

 very good reasons for supposing that he could safely depend upon a sufficiently large increase 

 in its market price to make such a course profitable. 



The bales are usually made to weigh from 450 to 500 pounds. The lint, after the 

 ginning process, is less than a third of the gross weight of the seed-cotton; the amount of 

 seed in the cotton being about seventy per cent, of the entire crop gathered, or the gross 

 weight. 



Uses of Cotton Seed. A few years ago cotton seed was considered almost worth 

 less, no particular use being made of the surplus quantity that remained after planting. At 

 present it is regarded as a valuable fertilizer, particularly when used in composts. Cotton 

 seed meal is also one of the most useful kinds of food for farm stock, when judiciously fed 

 to them. It is regarded by some as possessing twice the nutritive properties of corn-meal, 

 and, being so rich, must be fed in small quantities. 



About two pounds per day, with other fodder, are generally considered sufficient for a 

 milch-cow, and from two to four ounces for a calf. It should always be given mixed with 

 other food, or in connection with it. It should never be fed to swine, except with bran or 

 roots. It is stated by good authority that when used in the proportion of one pound to half 

 a peck of boiled potatoes, it makes a good food for fattening pigs. 



Horses do well on it if not given more than two pounds per day with meal or oats; but 

 if fed too generously with it, it will have an injurious effect upon the system, inducing 

 inflammation of the bowels and kidneys. Sheep will also thrive on it, when fed in connection 

 with hay or roots. Analysis proves that a ton of cotton-seed meal contains 38 pounds of 

 potash, 56 pounds of phosphoric acid, and 78 pounds of nitrogen, which shows its value as a 

 fertilizer, and as an element in manure when fed to stock. 



During 19 years of continuous cropping from the same land, Mr. Lawes of Rothamsted 

 applied on adjoining plots, annually 



1000 Ibs. rape cake (with 300 Ibs. mineral superphosphate), with 50 Ibs. nitrogen. 

 200 Ibs. ammonia salts (with 300 Ibs. superphosphate), with 41 Ibs. nitrogen. 

 275 Ibs. nitrate of soda (with 300 Ibs. superphosphate), with 41 Ibs. nitrogen. 



And in each instance harvested annually about 48 bushels of barley and 28 cwts. of straw, 

 containing together 56 pounds of nitrogen. 



The oil expressed from the seed of cotton is also valuable for various purposes. The 

 seed is very rich in oil, and will usually yield from fifteen to twenty per cent, of its own 

 weight. After expressing the oil, the cake is used for food for cattle and other farm stock. 

 The seed should never be fed whole or raw to animals, as this practice will frequently be 

 attended with fatal results, besides much waste will be occasioned by it. It should either 

 be ground into meal, or boiled before being fed. The former is the better and easier method 

 of disposing of it. In order to utilize cotton seed to the fullest extent for food, since the 

 harsh hulls are injurious to the stomach and intestines of animals, and also retard the de 

 composition of the seed when used as a fertilizer, a huller of some kind is found very ser 

 viceable in removing the hulls or outer covering of the seeds. These machines may be used 

 by hand, horse, or steam power; also to advantage in grinding and cracking corn or peas. 

 The illustration represents a hand-machine of this kind manufactured by David Kahnweiler, 

 New York city, and is said to hull from three to four bushels per hour; the power hullers 

 for larger plantations hulling a much larger amount, according to the size. 



Rank of American Cotton, etc. As has previously been stated, the United States 

 stands first among the countries of the world in the amount and quality of its cotton products, 

 the famous Sea-Island cotton taking first rank, since it surpasses all other varieties in the 

 length, strength, and beauty of its fiber, it being very long and exceedingly soft and silky. 

 The fact of the superiority of our cotton product was signally demonstrated at the Cotton 



