52 FARM CROPS 



have many that are superior to oats or wheat. We 

 have cottonseed meal or gluten meal, linseed oil 

 meal and many others. We have many foods on the 

 market high in protein and low in starch and fat 

 and fiber. 



But for purposes of comparison let us 

 take corn and cottonseed meal. Now just note 

 these differences. Corn contains 7.9 pounds of 

 digestible protein in each 100 of grain, and cotton- 

 seed meal 42.6. The first is low in protein, the 

 second high. If you purchase in ton lots, the corn 

 will give you 158 pounds of digestible protein to 

 the ton and cottonseed meal 852 pounds. A vast 

 difference, is it not? And the man who rejects the 

 one to hold fast to the other because custom has 

 prevailed that way, pays a big price for his whistle. 



But someone says that cottonseed meal costs $36 

 a ton, while corn is worth but 65 cents a bushel; 

 is not corn the cheaper. Indeed it is not. For 

 fattening hogs, corn is ideal; and for fattening 

 horses and cattle it is almost indispensable; but 

 for dairy cows that need the protein the cottonseed 

 meal is the cheapest. Let us figure a bit. Corn 

 at 65 cents figures about $23.40 a ton ; less, really, 

 than the cottonseed meal. Since, however, you are 

 after the protein, and a ton of corn contains 158 

 pounds of it, the cost of each pound of protein is a 

 fraction over 14 cents. In the cottonseed meal you 

 get 852 pounds of protein for $36, or a pound of 

 protein for 4.2 cents. Even if you give full credit 

 for the fat and starch in both feed for feeding dairy 

 cows, the preference must go to the feeding stuff 

 carrying the most protein. But the fact is corn 

 does not compete with other products as dairy feed 

 as it did in former days. Corn is now so greatly 



