204 t BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Jan. 



months before calving with a little linseed-cake, in addition to their 

 other fodder, acquire a larger development of the milk vessels, and 

 yield more milk afterwards, than similar animals fed as usual. Cotton- 

 seed cake must have an equally good effect. 



Some of those who have used cotton-seed cake have foimd difficulty 

 in inducing cattle to eat it. By giving it at first in small doses, mixed 

 with other palatable food, they soon learn to eat it with relish. 



On comparing the analyses II. and I., with the average composition 

 of linseed-cake, IV., it will be seen that the cotton-seed cake is much 

 richer in oil and albuminous matters than the linseed- cake. A cor- 

 respondingly less quantity will therefore be required. Three pounds 

 of this cotton-seed cake are equivalent to four of linseed-cake of 

 average quality. 



The value of the article in question as a manure, is very obviously 

 considerable. The dung of cattle, &c., fed upon it, will be greatly 

 richer, both in nitrogen and phosphates, than that of animals fed on hay 

 alone. Where stock is kept, probably the best manner of using this 

 cake as a fertilizer, is to feed it to the cattle, and carefully apply the 

 manure they furnish. In this way, whatever is not economized as 

 fat or flesh, will be available as manure. 



In England and on the continent of Europe, linseed and rape-cake 

 have been used directlj^ as a dressing for the soil, and with results 

 fully equal to what is indicated by their composition. These kinds 

 of cake decompose readily, and their effect is usually finished in one 

 season. Five hundred to six hundred pounds per acre is considered 

 a good application; more is liable to be injurious. It is found that 

 when applied with the seed, these kinds of cake prevent germination 

 to a considerable degree ; but if applied a week or so previous to 

 sowing, this detriment is not encountered. 



The cotton-seed is often employed in the Southern States, with 

 good effects, as a manure for Indian corn, dec. I do not know whether 

 like rape and linseed-cake, it destroys the seed. For manuring pur- 

 poses, it is about one-third richer than linseed- cake. Its effects are 

 mostly due to the nitrogen it contains, and therefore are similar to 

 those of guano. It is best used in conjunction with other fertilizers. 

 I should judge that a mixture of 400 pounds of this cotton-seed cake 

 with 50 bushels of leached wood-ashes per acre, would ' make an 

 excellent application for most crops. It is highly important that the 

 cake be uniformly distributed and thoroughly intermixed with the soil. 



This cotton-seed cake is doubtless an excellent material for comjjosts, 

 owing to its ready decomposability. 



Its commercial value, if calculated from the highest estimates, is as 

 follows : per cwt., 7 pounds nitrogen equals 8^ pounds of ammonia, 



