The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1879-09-12
THE VALUE OF THE 0AT CROP.
FARMERS SHOULD "READ, MARK, LEARN
AND INwARDLY DIGEST THE FOLLOWING

FARMERS SHOULD "READ, MARK, LEARN
AND INwARDLY DIGEST THE FOLLOWING 4:
UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA, !
DEPARTMENT OF AGRIcULrURE,
ATHENS, GA, August 30.
Editors Chronicle anal Constitutiouahst
The injury done to the corn crop through
out the greater part of Georgia, by the pro-
tracted drought in June and July, renders
it necessary that our farmers should endea-
vor to supply the deficiency by raising a
greater amount of small grain thar they
hayo been in. tho habit of raising, if they
Ss S|sssssl slsss1naaA hsiug obliged,
- !! IND
! beast from the. Wost. 49,
+ would specially recommend them to
prepare for a large oat crop. :.
This, by providing a sufficient amount of
food for the work animals in the spring,
| will leave the bulk of whatever corn is left
of the present crop for bread, and will, l
hope, teach our farmers what believe is
true. namely:
First. That oats arc the cheapest forage
crop they can raise.
Second. That they are the most nutritivc,
as they contain more of the flesh aud mus
| cte.forming. heat t-producing and fattening
elements than are contained in the corn and
fodder, which are the general feed given 20
horses and mules. :,
Third. That they yield higher percent
| age Of profit on the use of fertilizers than
corn; and fourth, that oats, instead of being.
as many enormously believe, an exhaustive
crop, when properly cultivated, improve the
n ,s hn 81, e.,
should be sown in Septenlber-the time
when the laboring force on plantations lis
least occupied, and, therefore, arc sown at
nominal cost, especially where part of that
force works for stated yearly wages The
sowing the crop in tho spring is also mex
pensive, as two hands in three days can save
aud put away four acres of oats. If this
cost is compared with that of making corn
and fodder, it is obvious that for the same
expenditure fully double the quantity of
forage can be made in oats that can be made
in corn and fodder. They are the most nu.
tritivc horse feed. CHEMICAL analysis has
demonstrated that in the three classes of
lsahstances which. enter intss food,
}fatsnsis tRS 51nfindS Sds or mascie ySrMfrgs
and the carbohydrates and oils.os Heat and
reproducing, oats (the grain, straw and
chaA) are richer than corn. In England
oats are the only grain on which the race
horses and those used in fox hunting-the
highest types of muscular strength and
condition-arc fed.
They yield higher percentage of profit
on the use of commercial fertilizers.
have found 5y actual experiment that the
application Of $3.50 worth of q good am
moniated super.phosphate per acre to oats
'ill more than double the production of
the natural soil, while the same amount ap
piled to corn, except in unusually favorable
seasons, does not yield anything like that
per centagc Of increase. That they i'm.
prove, not exhaust tho soil. Oats furnish
large quantities of nitrogen in their roots
AND. .stlkhhlA.--and a considerable amount Is
also taken up by the growth of weeds aud
grass after the crop is cut, while corn is un-
deninbly nitrogen exhausting crop. be-
cause during its entire growth and cultiva
ton III the hot summer months, every blade
of grass and everything that produces nitro
gen is speedily destroyed whereas the oat
plant appropriates during the period of its
growth the soluble nitrogen contained in
whate:or fertilizer is applied to it, and the
subsequent growth of grass and weeds in
the summer holds tn" rest, which can nei
ther be evaporated nor washed away.
From three to three aud half acres of
land well broken, enriched by the appIica-
ton of from 150 to 200 pounds of a good
ammoniated super phosphate, sown in Sep.
tembcr, with two to two and half bushels
of genuine rust proof oats, will yield suf
fioient quartity of food for one horse or
mule. 1t takes about the same area of
LAM. to produce sufficient quantity of corn
and fodder, with favorable seasons, to sup
port one work animal. IF The relative cost
of labor in producing the oats and corn and
fodder be taken into account, it will be
found that the cost of tho latter is fully
double that Of the former.
But to raise oats to meet the end to which
| have indicated, we must not. as is too Of
ten the practice, scratch in without manure.
at any time between November and March.
bushcl or bushel and half of any seed
we can find, on the poorest piece of land on
our iarm. We must concede to oats the
rank to which their Importance and value
entitle them, and employ tho same care
which we give to cotton and corn, if we
would derive the benefits which thoy are
capable of Offering.