The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-12-04
AgriCultl e.
THE DAT CROP AS A FORAGE.
corresponding Editor Irby Discusses the
Subject.

9uoJ6Cb'
Editorial Cor OF The Progressive Farmer.
Many farmers refrain from sowing
oats because they cannot make good
grain crop; but that fact need not
cause them to lose the use of this
valuable crop for feed. In the spring,
or early summer, there is always a
scarcity of forage, and especially
something fresh and appetizing to
the cattle and horses. The oat crop
of North Carolina generally is rather
poor in grain compared with other
sections but the rest of the plant is
good. 1t is not uncommon to see an
cat crop four feet high and sown
rather thickly. This, as can readily
be seen, will furnish large amount
of forage.
For the benefit of those who are
not already growing this valuable
crop, and who would like to do so, 1
will give my methods of growing. In
the first place, try so have clover
sod, or d pea or stubble on which to
sow it, as the oat crop calls for
large amount of nitrogen to make its
best growth. This element is fur
1ished abundantly by either the
clover, or the pea crop. Many pounds
of available nitrogen will be left on
each acre by these two legumes.
Strange to say, the oat crop takes
out less nitrogen from the soil, but
requires more in the soil for its
growth than does either of the afore-
mentioned crops.
The piece of land having been
selected, we will now consider the
rest of the work. If a stiff soil of
any kind, turn under with a two
horse plow or with a disc-plOw. This
puts the stubble in deep and thereby
hghtens up the soil, rendering it
porous and sponge-hke. This enables
it to hold an abundance of water,
with which to tide over drOuths, and
it also allows the air to penetrate
deep into the soil. The air, of course,
is the great disintegrator, acting
chemically on the soils, rendering
soluble the plant food locked up in
varied combinations,
On light soils this loosening up
process is unnecessary, and light
blowing is all that is necessary. The
work of a good cutaway harrow will
be quite sufficient. Certainly that
of a single horse plow will answer.
After the breaking the grain should
be sowed. If best results are sought
for, then the land should be treated
with commercial fertilizer, to give
the crop a good start and enable 1t
10 get deep prootedb before cold weather
sets in. If the whole crop of peas,
or Of clover was turned under, then
the application of nitrogen in the
fertilizer will be unnecessary.
Nitrogen costs this year just three
times as much as the potash
or the phosphorie acid. SO if
possible, this expense should be
saved. If the legume crop was light,
I would certainly make up a COM
Dlete fertilizer. For this would
use the following formula, provided
the cotton seed meal can be obtained
cheaply:
eotton' seed meal, 700 pounds
Acid phosphate, 1000
Kainit, 800
2,OOe
Where the soil is rich already in
nitrogen from the peas, then should
use the following:
Phosphoric acid, 1,4OO pounds
Kainit, 6OO
1000 d"
A ton of the latter mixture will be
much cheaper than the former. Ap-
ply 400 to 500 pounds per acre, broad
cast just after plowing and then SOW
the seed, putting on about two or
three bushels. Some call this amount
too much, but we are sowing for
forage and not for grain.
Next run over the land with an or
binary cutaway harrow or with
spring tooth harrow. This covers
the oats and fertilizer, and levels off
the land. Then the smoothing har
row should follow, and drag or
roller should follow next. If the
land is sandy, the roller is especially
good, but if heavy clay, then it is
rot necessary.