Atlanta Semi Weekly Journal

FOOD VALUE OF HULLED COTTON SEED.

A. F. S., Orange, Ga., writes: What do you think would be the fertilizing value of cotton seed that have been hulled and separated, though the oil has not been taken out? Can I mix this with 16 per cent acid and muriate of potash, and in what proportion to make a good fertilizer for corn and cotton?

Thought probably this would be cheaper than to use cotton seed meal.

It would be impossible to determine the percentage of plant food in hulled cotton seed from which the oil has not been expressed. These seed would probably run from one-quarter to one-third higher in plant food than ordinary cotton seed, but, of course, this is simply an estimate, and might not be borne out from actual chemical examination of the seed.

We can see little reason why should go to the trouble of putting the meats into the condition mentioned in your letter where you expect to use them as fertilizer. The food in this condition will not become available much more quickly than where you use the seed, and the labor and effort involved in hulling them would not in our judgment be justified.

Of course, seed may be used for fertilizer where one believes he cannot obtain a just return for them by selling to the oil mill. You should bear in mind, however, that a ton of seed is not worth much over $11 for fertilizing purposes, and that about 600 pounds of meal is equivalent to each ton of seed in fertilizing value.

With this information before you, you can probably determine whether you can make a satisfactory exchange of seed for meal. The tendency of the seed at the present time seems to be upward, and the chances are that they may bring a little better price later on than they have done during the early part of the season.

You should remember that seed are high in nitrogen and relatively low in phosphorus and potash, and on that account considerable quantities of acid phosphate and potash should be used with them.

A fairly good formula to use under cotton would be the following: Mix together 40 bushels of seed, 760 pounds of phosphoric acid and 50 pounds of muriate of potash. Use at the rate of about 1000 pounds per acre.