The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-08-29
Notes on oat Culture.

On poor soil ammonia is an essential fer
tililizer for oats and should be literally
combined with phosphate. Soils Of fair
quality, and especially such as have borne a
uxuriant crop of pease just prior TO oat
sowing, respond more satisfactorily to an
application of phosphate and require but
very little ammonia. Soils that are evil
IDENTIFY rich IN ammonia, as indicated by the
growth of large stalks either of corn or cot
ton, need only, IL they need anything for
immediate use, phosphate with potash, and
1t is always in order to pillow or harrow in
with the grain on such soil a mixture of $50
pounds OF acid phosphate and 100 pounds of
kainit.
For practical purposes a farmer may
classify the soil of his farm under three
divisions: l. Poor" soil such as with aver
age seasons and fair culture produces seven
to ten bushels OF corn. g. Fair or medium"
soil that produces fifteen to twenty bushels
of corn. erich soil" that yields thirty
to fifty bushels. Without practical soil
tests he cannot determine with any degree
of satisfaction which Of the essential ele-
ments ia the most profitable to apply and
these tests should be made on every farm
from year to year even IL in a small way.
Oats are as good a crop as any to apply
these questions to, and we would suggest to
our intelligent oat growers TO put the
monia, phosphate or potash 30 produce
oats On general principles it may be
stated that a fair application of fertilizers
to the first division above mentioned 1.-THE
poor soiD to enable it to produce profit
able crop OF oats and leave the soil in i'm
proved condition for crop of pease or
grass just after would require at least $50
pounds Of cotton seed meal and 200
pounds of acid phosphate. inst e-half
of this can be lightly plowed or narrowed
in with the seed and the other half reserv ed
and applied as a top dressing in early Feb
ruary and narrowed in on the growing
grain, OF it may all be applied at the time
OF sowing, taking care not to get IL too
deep. but leave most of it as near the sur
face as possible A barro wing to grain on
poor or fair land in February Is a very
great advantage and should be more gen.
orally adopted as a practice.
Fair or medium soil as above described
may, without ones being unreasonable, be
expected TO return a crop of from twenty to
forty bushels of oats when sown properly
in October or early November. With the
aid Of 200 pounds of phosphate the higher
limit may be secured, with fair seasons.
Where one is able to do 80 doable this ap-
plicatton may oftentines be economically
made with advantage to the grain crop
and greatly 90 to the crops that
follow the grain, be that either pease or
grass or even cotton.
The time has not come yet. and may be q
long time of, whom certain application Of
particular fertilizer will insure a specified
Increase Of cropS We are compelled 10
apply the three valuable elements ia a
manner that appears wastsful when we
come TO compare the amount applied with
the actual need Of the crop as indicated by
chemical analysis. We can afford to do
this, however. when we reflect that the
surplus need not be wasted, but goes
toward making another crop. s. A. G.