The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-10-02
Sowing Small Grain.

There never was time in the history
OF Southern agriculture, within recent
years when the necessity for planting an
extra large acreage in small grain was
more imperative. The unprecedented
shortness of the corn crop is not confined
alone to the Western States. Through
out the entire cotton belt of the whole
South from Virginia to Western Texas,
there are large and extensive areas Of
country where only third or half a
crop Of corn will be harvested this fall.
1t will be impossible to pull through the
winter and make another crop without
the use of an enormous amount of high
priced Western corn next spring, unless
we begin to prepare for trouble before
it comes upon US. Western corn next
spring at from $125 to $3.50 per bushel
does not appear inviting to the average
cotton producer Nor can the average
farmer afford to pay high prices for any
kind of supplies and sell his money sta
pie at present depressing figures. 1t is
a singular yet not unusual condition or
affairs to find the price OF everything
we 5Iy quite high, and what we have to
sell falling in value. Such condition of
affairs if continued for any great length
Of time would bankrupt a Croesus. The
only feasible solution of these trying
problems which will continue to bar the
progress of Southern agriculture If not
arrested, can be found in our people
preparing to live more generally at home
and less in the merchants store. The sys-
TEN heretofore so widely pursued OF de-
pending upon outsiders to supply us with
food and raiment is bad under any con-
ditions, even if our money crop was
selling for high prices. Anything which
farmer can raise at home, without too
much expense is dear at any price If he
is forced to buy it in the open market
1t illustrates the picture of the barrel,
where you pour in at the top the pro-
ceeds of the money crop, and find 1T all
leaking out at numerous holes in the side,
designated as various species of supplies
purchased to make the crop. 1t is SIM
pie matter Of easy calculation which any
farmer can sit down and reason out for
himself before he can finish smoking his
after dinner pipe of tobacco. Ninety per
cent Of Southern farmers realize the i'm
portance of making their farms self
sustaining. They know by each years
experience that unless they do, the bulk
of their years hard earnings will go into
the pockets of other people. Yet the same
old plan goes on uninterruptcdly, and
while change for the better is not only
noticeable, but quite apparent, it is not
coming fast enough. We need more pro-
gross on the line of raising our food sup
plies at home, and the country will not
;,,Ia
ticn she ought to until we become more
generally self-sustaining.
WHEAT, OATS AND BARLEY.
The first of the small grain crops in
order of planting should be oats; but it
is generally understood that good seed
oats are quite scarce and high in price.
L. will not pay to go to the expense Of
preparing and fertilizing land to sow
seed of doubtful value. If some variety
of seed cannot be secured that are valua-
bic and will produce we'll in the South
ern country, it would be waste of money
to plant them. The turf oats will make
fairly good crop but are not desirable
because of the lightness of the heads,
though in the absence of anything better
| they can be profitably grown. The Texas
rust-proof oats are superior to all others
on account of the we'll established repu-
tation they have earned and the general
success of the plant. Every man who
can secure a good variety of oats har-
vested from last falls planting should
| lay in a supply and plant them as quickly
as possible.
| We are not dependent on oats; how
ever, for spring feeding 1t has been
| we'll established by practical experiment
| that wheat cut,in the dough stage and
properly cured will give as satisfactory
| results in stock feeding as oats. Raising
wheat for this purpose has not, however,
| been generally INDUCED in but is finding
| an increased favor with the farmers each
/ year. Another feature in sowing wheat
| for forage is the fact that severe winter
freezes will not kill it out, when the crop
| has been properly planted. On good land
| thoroughly plowed, literally fortified
| and the seed drilled in there is never q
! doubt as to the success of the crop for
/ forage the following spring. Not only
| should we plant abundantly of wheat
next month for flour the coming year, but
/ we should also plant few acres to cut
| in the dough stage for horses and mules
| thereby cutting down the corn hill.
| Rye is also an absolutely safe crop and
| W0jle not 81 NdludDle as eltncF wheat VI
/ oats in nutriment, will make good growth
on fairly fertile soil and give splendid
| grazing during the severcst winter
| months Tho supply of rye seems abun-
dant, though it is always safe and best
| to buy and plant only Georgia raised
rye.
Barley is one of the most nutritious o.
1 all cereals. 1t can be cut green and fec
to stock without fear Of injury and II
| will keep work animals in splendid condi-
| ton at all stages of its growth, while
| there is nothing better for hogs. 1t how
ever requires very rich land, highly fer
| tilted. to make a satisfactory growth o
barley. but it is worth the expense o
| manuring, for there is nothing superior
/ TO it as a valuable stock food. The ne
cessity of the situation requires actor
end no delay should be allowed in plant
ing an abundant acreage in small graii
this fall. HARvIE JORDAN.