The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1900-02-17
FARMER AND PLANTER.
PLANTING OF spRI NC OATS.
a Few suggestions to Those who
depend Upon the Spring Instead
OF the Fail Crop.

10 those farmers who will have to
depend on a spring crop, instead of a
laii' or winter crop, it might be well
10 make few suggestions on oats
planted at that time.
The ground should be broken un
deep with two-horse pillow, and, if il
was broken in the fall, SO much the
better. About the first of March sow
some rapid-growinG variety, such as
the Burt oat, on the rough-broken
land, and cover them up with spring.
tooth harrow, then follow with Thorn
as smoothing harrow so as to thor
oughly pulverize, and level off the land
SO that the moving machine can do its
work effectually. If the land is stiff
soil and inclined to be cloddy then. it
would he well to run plank drag or
roller after the spring-tooth harrow.
The drag is preferred, as it mashes
the clods instead of pressing them into
the ground. Then the smoothing har-
row should follow the drag, as the
light scratching will prevent baking,
which is liable to occur with the high
winds of March, to say nothing of the
hot, sunny days we often have in that
month. OF course, IL a seed drill is
used, the smoothing harrow is not nee
essary. If stable manure is to be APP
piled it should be broadcasted Just be-
fore the disc harrow is used as this
implement win cover it deep enough.
If commercial fertilizer is used it is
best to apply with the drill, as many
of the grain drills have the fertilizer
attachment. If applied by hand then
the application should precede the use
of smoothing harrow.
We usually sow about two bushels
OF oats per acre, and cut before they
are mature SO that we may get the use
of the stalks for hay as well as the
grain. Commercial fertilizers are al
ways used, as it is hard to get enough
manure to cover SO much ground, and
1T is far less expensive where both
have to be bought.
For oats would recommend the fol- |
lowing cheap fertilizer compost. Fj
the farmer has any barn yard manure
then it would be best to apply that
itself broadcast. would say COM
post OF acid phosphate. 700 pounds;
cotton seed meal, 1000 pounds; Kainit,
300 pounds.
Most of our prepared fertilizers are
mixed for general crops, but more
nitrogen and potash are necessary
than is generally given. OF the above
mixture, we apply about 400 pounds
per acre on reasonably good land. 1t
IS best to fertilize even if your land is
rich, as it will mature the crop quick
sr, and this point would be especially
beneficial in spring oats, as they have
not the time to get well rooted and
iced deeper in the soil as do fall and
winter oats. This is important with
IS, as we usually have drought in
Nay just before the time for the oats
o mature, and if they are well-grown
when the drought comes on, they can
hen be harvested in the dry spell and
he work can be better performed. If
he drought strikes the crop before
natures it may he cut off enough to
'ay. for the fertilizer that should have
een used. Then, again, the crop may ,
ot be far advanced and struggles on !
through the drought until the June
aims set in, then there will be loss
rom being harvested in wet season.
So l would advise the use of fer I
liners to advance the crop as we'll as
acreasing the quantity.-B. Irby,
'rcfessor of Agriculture, N. C. Ayr. G
ollege.