The Charlotte Democrat., 1895-08-16
AGRICU TU R A. L.
Fall Grons.

Fall Crops. r.#
August and September are the months
in which to begin preparations for and
to complete the sowing of grasses, clover,
oats and wheat. This statement will
nerhaps be appalling to the farmer who
has fodder pulling and cotton picking
lust ahead of him, but it is nevertheless
true that to attain the greatest success
in the management Of these crops, the
preparation should begin early, should be
thorough, and the seeding completed at
least by the last of September, that is for
the first three; the seeding of wheat can
perhaps be delayed until the middle or
last Of October, according to latitude,
but the preparation should begin at
once-this more especially to destroy
weeds, and after breaking the land
deeply and narrowing finely to thus Sc
cure depth of soil, and thoroughly pull
verized surface. For wheat more espe-
cially the first fou inches of soil cannot
be made too fine.
While orn is considered the best food
for stock, there is no good reason for this
opinion. Oats pound for pound, are &C
tually superior as a feed for both horses
and cattle We should not attempt to
grow this crop on land too poor to pro-
duce profitable crop of anything else, as
is so often done. AS stated before, the
crop should be prepared for and put in
as soon as possible after August. If the
land is deficient in humus, cotton seed or
cotton seed meal will help to supply the
need, and if we can top dress during the
winter with even a light layer of farm
yard manure, the yield is wonderfully in
creased. It will pay to give thorough
preparation and heavy manure. The
mistake is too often made OF withholding
both, and we are the losers, in that the
labor and seed expended on large area,
if concentrated on a better prepared,
more highly manured and smaller space,
would yield tentold dividend. Sow
from one and half to two bushels to the
acre, and cover from two to three inches
deep. Ifdesired, grass can be seeded at
the same time, as directed under the
head of "grass." For fall oats it is im~
portant to plant winter raised seed
WHEAT.
We should at least grow enough wheat
for home consumption. And what we
need to learn is to produce what we re-
quire on q smaller area of land. As with
other crops, this plan, if judiciously y man
aged, will materially reduce the cost of
production.
Wheat requires deep, but firm bed,
and to obtain this it is necessary to begin
the blowing in August if possible, in or
der that the land may have time to
"settle" before seeding. Don't be afraid
of narrowing too often; the finer the sur
face is worked, the better chance for
success. Wheat requires large amount
of nitrogen, but if we SOW on clover sod
or pea stubble, we furnish this expensive
element much cheaper than in the com
mercial forms, and in nearly sufficient
quantity for the needs of the crop. five
have sufficient farm yard manure to give
top dressing during the winter, the
nitrogen from this, and that accumulated
by the peas or clover, will be sufficient.
If there is much vegetable growth on
the land, lime will be found very valu.
able. If the land lacks potash, supply it
in the form of KANT, muriate or ashes.
The phosphoric acid may be supplied by
acid phosphate or bone, and as these
three, lime, potash and phosphoric acid,
are not Immediately leached out of the
soil, they may be applied some time pre-
vious to the sowing of the crop, and
thoroughly narrowed into the surface
soil. In the spring, if the young wheat
has yellow cast, the indication shows
lack of nitrogen, which can be supplied
by top dressing of nitrate of soda, from
100 to 200 pounds per acre. Suitable
seed, that is those best adapted to the
climate, is an important consideration.
As rule, the red or Mediterranean varie-
ties are best adapted to more southern
ATTITUDES, while the white can be planted
with equal success further north.-South-
ern CultlUatOr.