The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1841-09-01
AGRICULTURAL.
From the N. C. Farmprs' Adrocate.
IMPROVING LAND WITH OATS.
Science Grovt, Davidson Co., " {. I
Tulu 0H 1Sll
Julv 23, lS4l.

Jbty %o, l9ti.
Mr.. Editor +"s Glover has Ing
been celebrated for lis lrrliiizing proper
ties. Oats has MOI, as yet, had such
s,rong recommendation in its favor; yet,
nevertheless, think when irs properties,
as such, have become sufficiently known,
and tested, if it does not gain an equal
fnoiing, il will become a vice c!ovrr,. as IA
renovalor Of the soil. wall state my theo-
ry aud support it with an experiment, and
leave the reader TO draw his own inicr-
ence.
Nv theory Is the following: Sow your
oats at the common time, and in the usual
manner, only, sow something like halt
= bushel more seed to the acre, and after
thew are ploughed or narrowed in. as the
: case may be, roll the ground with light
roller, Let it stand until about Two thirds
ofthe grain in the head is ripe. then roll
it down, and doubly ploughit It under. Ia
king care that the gouge reaches at least
ten inches below the surface. Roll the
ground again as befnre.s Not that think
that after rolling benefits further than this,
lit renders the surface in situation for
all the oats to be rolled down when requi-
red. IsupPose it further renders service,
by keeping the elevated ridges lef BY the
plough from excessive evaporation.) Let
it lay until about Two weeks before you
wish to sow your wheat; then roll down
the young oats, and again double plough
them under as before; sow your wheat
and harrow it in, and I'llwarrant You an
advance of at least 100 per cent on your
wheat crop, independent ofits future bene-
fiji; which will doubtless exceed that Of
the wheat crop.
Il will now relate my experiment.
About the first Of July, 1910, selected
very elevated point in one of my oats
fields to make an experiment. | measur-
ed off quarter Of an acre and double
ploughed the oats under, and let it remain
until about two weeks defore | wished to
sow my wheat. l then double ploughed
the young sward of oats under, aud har-
rowed my wheat in. The rest of the
field fallowed by double ploughing.
and put i, in at the same time did the
oat patch, (for so termed my expert
mental piece.) At harvest craded the
experiment piece to itself, and also, q
quarter Of an acre lying bv the side Of it,
to test the experiment; off the oat patch,
saved l3 dozen Of wheat, which would
average 8 bushels to the 100 sheaves; and
off the test quarter saved 7 dnz. which
would not make more than 2 34 bushels
sS;to the 100; making an advance of 100 per
cent. on the experimental piece. A pro-
fit not to be spurned at. Unavoidable
circumstances prevented me from thresh-
ing itout separately and testing the exPe-
riment by non dubious rule, though
have not an earthly doubt, that if it had
been tested by threshiug. it would have
increased the assumed advance in favor
of the. oat system.
The system appears excellent in every
poinlof view for wheat crop; the wheat
is sown in the first stratum Of manure,
formed by the first crop Of oats, which
furnish an abundant store Of nulrilive mat
ter for the upper class Of roots Of the
wheat; the under set receive their nour.
ishment from the Inst crop of oats while
in its state Of decomposition, which rem
ders them an, equal quantity of vegetable
matter as the first does the upper class;
and preserves the crop as secure against
drought as though it received the benefit /
Of the Egyptian reservoirs of the Nile
But, gentle reader, make the experiment,
if We list for yourself, and then at leasure
draw your own inference. If have sug-
gested plan whereby YOU, at a future
day, may with pleasure look over your
renovated fields and luxurant crops,
hnye then gained The summit nf INV w;eh |
es, and the most lofty emnence Of my
ambition.
have the honor to be,
-, Your fellow citizen,
s39F w. P. RICHARDS.