The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1886-09-24

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oping, by proper selection and cultivation,
winter oat capable Of resisting extreme
cold. What is known in Middle Georgia
as "winter grazing oat' does certainly re-
sist cold better than other varieties In
this locality, the past winter, the mercury
descended to zero aud tho cold was long
continued, and yet good deal Of this oat
survived, and by its abundant tlleripg
made from onc-fourth to one.third of
crop. In most fields of rust-proof oats
sown in autumn scattering stools could also
be found, and that too in positions not
specially sheltered. Now if, without Sc
leotion and from indscriminatc sowings of
seed, individual plants spring up with
power to withstand intense cold. why, with
proper care, could aot hardy variety be
propagatcd and established from these cold
resisting plants We have faith that it
can be done, anl our faith is based on
facts like these, related by Darwin in his
| work on Animals and Plants under domcs-
ticatiou "Wheat quickly assumes new
habits of life. The summer and winter
kinds were cassed by Linnacus as distinct
species; but Nj. Monncr has proved that
the difference between them is only tenn
porary. He sowcd winter wheat in spring,
and out Of one hundred plants four alone
produced ripe seed these were sown and
resown, and in three years plants were
reared which ripcucd all their seed. Con-
vcrscly, nearly all the plants raised from
summer wheat, which was sown in autumn,
perished from frost; but u few were saved
and produced seed and in three wears this
summer variety was converted into winter
variety. Our habit has been to sow indis-
criminately, as chance or convenience might
decide, spring grown oats in the fall and
fall grown oats in the spring. Is it any
wonder that VIC have no fixed varieties
| adapted to either season? Some time ago We
urged the careful saving OF all rust-proof
oats that survived the past winter We
hope it has been done and that they will
be sown this month, and the same thing
repeated for at least three years
The prcsen crop covers all of our cxpe-
riencc with the winter grazing oat. 1t was
not ready 10 .et until the l0th Of Ju.y,
though sown Oh the Both OF October last
Possibly ~ having B.. 'hinncd out by the
cola, and the tIllcring cuu T.. ut thereon,
may have retarded its ripcning. But al
though June was very wet month and
lunches Of rye distributed through these
oats were badly rustcd, the oats had no rust
whatever. We shall SOW it again and
watch results.
Neither barley nor rye were killed by the
extreme cod of the past winter. To some
extent, therefore, these can be made to
take the place Of fall oats-barlcy on the
richer and rye on the poorer lands. With
these cover the bare cotton fields during the
winter and save them from washing and leach.
ing. Simply harrow i'll the secd-don't break
up the land and increase the facilities for
for washing. When green, these crops can
be cut and fed to horses and cows when
maturcd, they can be harvested. thrcshed
and ground and make most excellent stock
feed. Rye straw commands ready sale for
filling in horse collars and other purposes,
but the stalls and stock yards may well dis
pose Of it all, Our soils cry aloud for hu-
mus--lct us take every opportunity to sup
ply it. Some ono has suggested that oats
and rye might be sown togcthGr-if the
oats should be killed the rye would not and
the land would still be occupied with a
desirable crop. We sec no objection except
the unequal ripcniug of the two crops, but
as rye will remain standing without waste
for some time after it ripcns it could wait
on the oats. tpon the whole the suggcs-
tion strikes us as o. good one, worthy OF
being tested by trial.
a friend has recently called our atten-
ton to the successful culture, in this vicin-
ity, Of grass variously called "Schradcrs
grass, " Australian oats, Rescue srass,
etc, Bromus uniolodcs or Schradcri being
its technical name. lie spoke very highly
of 1t as winter grazing grass. growing
very rapidly in carly spring and producing
large quantity Of broad, nutritious leaves
Though sometimes called "rcscue and re-
scmOlinS grass generally known by that
name. it is said to be much larger and more
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