The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1898-11-23
GIVES SOUND ADVICE.
HOY. o. 3. STEVENS ADDRESSES
THE FARMERS OF GEORGIA.

Tells Them to Sow wheat. Advises That
Less Cotton Be Planted. Plant as
Large Acreage as Possible.
Hon. o. B. Stevens, the rewly-elected
commissioner of agriculture. has issued
the following circular:
Before it gets too late l wish to urge
Il ION the farmers of Georgia, particular
~ those in the middle and upper sec
tions of the state, the importance Of
planting large wheat crop.
The conditions are such that there is
little or no hope for any material ad-
vance in the price of cotton for the
present crop; and even should there be
a decided reduction in the acreage Of
cotton next year, 50 large will be the
surplus carried over from the accumula-
ton of two very heavy crops in success
sion, that the price will in all probabili-
ty DE very low for the crop that VIII be
grown in 1899, With such a prospect
ahead The thoughtful farmer will seek
for some other crop than cotton from
which he may hope fof at least reward
for his labor. For the sections of the
state above mentioned, the growing of
wheat seems to offer relief from the
thralldom of cotton. Even in the Sec
ton south of Macon good crops of whea.
can be grown on the stiff red lands that
are to be found in greater or less
amounts in every county in south Geor~
gia. AS money crop wheat is just as
available as cotton, for there are buyers
ready to take it at its market value in
every town in Georgia.
My advice, therefore, is to plant as
soon as possible large acreage in wheat.
Select your best land, break it deeply.
though do not bring the subsoil clay to
the surface, harrow and, if necessary,
re-harTOw until you get all the Jumps
and clods broken up, then either drill or
broadcast the seed, covering lightly
For fertilizing, apply either stable or
COW manure, or if without these use 200
pounds of good acid phosphate and 100
pounds of KANT per acre, and when the
wheat starts to grow off in the spring
broadcast from so to Is pounds of nj
trate of soda to the acre.
For seed use either Bluestem or Full
caster wheat, as these varieties have
been found to succeed best in the state.
Both of these varieties can be bought
here at about dollar bushel.
BY following the advice given you will
not only make crop of wheat, but you
can follow that with crop of peas sown
broadcast and gather a heavy crop of
peavne hay, than which there is none
better.
In addition to planting a large acreage
of wheat, from which our farmers NAV
reasonably expect to realize a profit, |
earnestly advise liberal sowing of oats
to supplement the short corn crop in
middle and north Georgia, DO not de.
lay the planting of this important crop.
for one acre of NoVem ber-sown oats
will, as rule, yield twice as much as
the same acreage sown in the spring. Of
course you must take the risk of winter
killing; but there is no crop that farm
or plants that is not subject to loss, and
even total destruction from the forces of
nature, and the dread of such calAmities
should deter no farmer from planting
his crops at the proper time. Should
your oats be killed by cold weather
SOW again as soon as possible.
For fall sowing the Texas rust proof
or the winter grazing oats are both
good varieties; the latter will best stand
cold weather, but the former will pro-
duce the heavier crop if not killed by
the cold. Next year, by reason OF the
low pre- of cotton, will be particularly
hard on those farmers who have made
short corn crops, and every DEVICE
should be used by them to help out
their scant supply. Much can be done
on this line by sowing rye, or mixture
OF rye, oats aud barley, which will fur
nish good pasturage through the spring
months, and can then be sturned nnder