The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-01-17

Sowing Oats.
When should spring sowing Of oats begin?
Whenever weather and condition of soil will
permit, after the first of January, Spring
oats have TO run the gauntlet of being killed
by cold on the one hand, and of being cut off
By drouth and rust on the other. Those sown
earliest are most exposed 10 injury from cold,
but most apt to escape the effects of drouth
Che late sown run greatest risk from drouth
and least from cold The wise farmer, there
fore, will take both risks-will not stake all his
crop on either the early or the late sown. Some
of the best crops of oats we ever raised were
Gown in January. They matured almost as
early as fall-sown oats, making fine, heavy
heads. Then again, we have seen the best
crops produced by the latest sowings
in spring. The best plan, therefore,
Is to begin sowing early, and SOW at intervals
till the first OF March. If one sowing does not
strike favorable seasons, another may. Some
times week difference in the time of SOW
ing makes wonderful difference in the yield
of crops. Again, from January to March the
ground is not always in condition to plow It
is often too wet and one who decides to SOW
his whole crop at one particular time, which
he regards as BEST is apt TO pillow his land
sometimes too wet. and to rush things through
In a rough, sloyenly manner 1t is better TO
begin early strike the land whenever in good
condition TO ploW, and when good work can
be done. Suppose you lose your seed by hard
freezes, are you any worse off than when you
lose your crop by severe drouth? You are
really better off in the first case, be-
cause you can resoW or use the land
for some other crop; in the second
case the result is known too late to utilize the
land to as great advantage.
What kind of seed to sow. Home grown,
other things being equal, are best, and rust
proof the most reliable. For spring sowing
preference should be given to seed from spring
sowings, and for uplands, seed raised on up
lands. In some respects plants adapt them
selves quite readily and rapidly to their sur
roundings. Seed from the rich lands Of the
west produce plants not at home on our poorer
soils Western corn does not do well in the
cotton states; why should western oats do
any better. With our usual improyidence we
are getting into the habit of relying largely on
the west for our seed oats. Is it good policy
either in the light Of sound economy or in the
matter of getting the best seed? Very doubt
full, to say the least. Cur best corn, best wheat,
best oats are grown at home.
Every one knows and realizes the impor-
lance of selecting seed corn. Why should not
the same care be exercised in improving oats.
If one went through his oat fields and Sc
lected the best stools and sowed seed from
these TO themselves, and did this year after
year, does any ono doubt that an improved
variety would soon be established. In ordinary
practice tho poorest and best seeo are indi5-
crminately mixed by the threshing machine,
those from the fecblcst unhealthiest stalks
with the strong and vigorous. Under such
MI via ic i'm
provement. Some improvement could be had
by an old, simple method within reach of
every one. Lay aside some seed oats in the
sheaf, In preparing seed select the heaviest
and best bundles and strike them lightly over
q barrel so rs to get the ripest. heaviest seed
only. Let the imperfect seed remain on the
straw and be fed to stock. These "barrel'
oats viii be decidedly better than ordinary
seed.
How should land for oats be prepared. II
In cotton OR corn the previous year, and has
not be tramped by stock, there is no necessity
3or breaking. 1t is well to go over it with
one of the deep running harTows-like the
Disc the Shares or the Acme. Sow and
cover seed with the same. For the latter work
the Shares harrow is the best After cover
ing the seed roll the land Oats can thus be
put in at greatly less cost than when plowed in
with scooter, and VIII do Just as well. If the
land for oats is hard or rough, it will have to
be plowed as a matter of course, but it is very
desirable that some cheaper and more expe-
0itious method he employed than breaking or
blowing in seed with scooters or twisters This
is too slow and too costly. Whenever the land
is clean enough double footed plows may be
used to advantage-or wide cutting and rather
shallow running turn plows may be used to
break the land, and seed put in with ShareS's
harrow. w. L. j.
Z.LR., Long Pine Arson County, y. c.: /
have about TWO aeles Of stil day land PLANTED in