The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-11-09

# has been generally accepted by in
,oriqent farmers that on our average soils
Aha Weld of oats is about three times that
of corn lin bushels. This conclusion has
been arrived at from comparison of the
,u-o an our average soils that produce
from eight to twelve bushels of corn with
on- manure. and where from $500 to 1900
stacks of corn are deemed the most desir-
able number to be grown per acre.
While this may be taken as fair ap-
nroximation of the relative capacity of
our average SOIL it docs not follow that
rich soils capable of making forty to sixty
bushels of corn, under good cultivation,
will Weld 100 to $50 bushels of oats. At
what point the relative proportion may
begin to diminish, of course would be
mere matter of speculation, though care
fully made experiments could be made
very easily to prevent a satisfactory APP
Proclamation on this point. Possibly some
one or other of our agricultural colleges
or experiment stations may include this
question in their Investigations at no dis
rant day, for it could be made a very in
teresting and instructive experiment if
made side by side, under varying condi-
From my own experience and observa-
ton [ have reached the conclusion that
land that will make twenty bushels of
corn. naturally or with the aid of thirty
bushels of cotton seed or manure when
planted in March, and given even ordi-
nary cultivation, can be made to produce
forty to sixty bushels of oats, provided the
sowing is made in October or early No
vember, in well prepared soil and two and
a half or three bushels of seed properly
put in and using the same quantity of
manure as would be used in the spring.
All this must enter into the considera-
ton of the question, and I present this as
my stand point for approximating the re-
lative yields of the two grains. II, instead
Of sowing two and a half or three bushels
of seed in October or November on well
prepared soil, one or one and half BUSH
els of seed are sown in February on hast
lily prepared soil the proportion o. three
to one need not be expected, for it is not
likely to be realized. In all probability
the average result would be about as
many bushels of oats as there would have
been corn. In arriving at the relative
value of a crop of oats and corn, it will
be borne in mind that a bushel of corn is
worth more than a bushel of oats for al
most every purpose.
One bushei of corn lacks only eight
pounds of weighing a. much as two bush
els of oats and without considering the
musk of the oat, which possesses no nu-
triment, and yet which renders the oat a
sale grain for feeding to work stock in
the summer.
On the other hand. oats receive no cuf-
tlvation and the expense of cultivation be-
Ing omitted, it would only be Just to ex-
pend the amount saved Cfrom not cultivat-
Lhs)' on manure to be applied to the oats.
Ihls would be only just when one aimed
at correct conclusion of the true relative
value Then, again, while oats are ex-
Iausting in the highest degree of the min
eral elements, they certainly restore to the
SOL quantity of vegetable matter that
corn does not, and which insures a reas-
enable amount of ammonia for any follow
ing crop.
Rolling lands that are subject TO wash
by our spring rains. and which occnr bout
the time the soil is freshly plowed, when
devoted to corn, are protected to an ex-
tent mat IS calculable by any good farmer,
Wnen sown in oats.
along continued clean culture of rolling
IdHdS Is certain to wear them out. and
me persistent cropping of land of this
eharacter in cotton has had the effect in
,uls section, as elsewhere, of rendering
.nem almost barren. What little yege-
ape matter that may be accumulated in
tue lall IS washed out by the spring rains
generally, and the fields have become fur
LoWeu with gullies so wide and steep as to
cmaer the field but a series of patches. en-
'aIilAs great loss of time in turning.
VI course, such land would be better de-
soeeu 10 permanent grass, but when a
laIher cannot bring himself to adopt so
ldulcal change as to bestow care and cul-
..yauon on what all his life he has regard
e. e. as a thing only to be extirpated on his
,el m then undoubtedly the best policy
,oI MN TO adopt is to devote such land as
sl'l54 as possible to fail sown grain and
''olu spring blowing whenever he can.
T. h. c.