The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1902-09-30

to small grain and also for planting
larger areas o. land in oats E-s uoy
come, an devery farmer should lay aside
other farm work long enough to give this
| department OF his business prompt aus
proper attention The energies ol day
or two's dork now. rightly directed win
/ lay the foundation first and after awhile
create the means for furnishing large
supply OF cheap. frst-elass food for the
stock and cattle on the premises. II -
simply astonishing to a person Who has
never tried it. the amount Ct erccu food
which can be cut and fyd from an acre
Of Iyc. barley Or wheat. The green crops
come in at a time. too when pastures
are dry and green food is not only highly
| relished by stock, but is almost q ncccs-
sity to keep their systems in a perfectly
healthy condition. Aside from this the
| heavy expenses of feeding on corn can
| Tor several weeks b. dispensed with after
/ the first of January. Corn Viii be an
| expensive item again next year 70 south
| ern farmers on account of the shortncs.
| OF the yield over the Southern States.
| While the West will reap an abundant
harvest of grain, by the time a Southern
| farmer freights his corn from the West
| and IS force dto pay credit prices, sup
llios OF such character viii always come
| high. The time is too far distant TO
| await the planting and cultivation o.
| another corn crop. Prompt decisive ac-
tion is always needful in meeting sue
| Cessfully such emergencies as confront
Us at this time. 1t is therefore not only
the part OF wisdom, but the necessity OF
the situation demands that every farmer.
who has not a full corn crib this fall
| begin at once to fertilize a small area
OF ground. prepare il nicely by good.
deep ploWing and SOW il down il either
rye, barley or wheat for January and
February feeding Such patches should
be highly manured ard the ground rcn-
dered as fertile possible.
SOWING OATS.
our last seasons experience with the
fall planting of the oat crop was any
thing but satisfactory. The crop was al
most q failure over large areas Of terri
tory and the expense of preparation ani
sowing a heavy loss in addition to
the anticipated WELD OF the crop which
failed to materialize. But if we lost last
sea SON we may succeed beyond our cx-
pectations this season. At all events it Is
worth the venture. Like a great many
other crops the proper treatment OF the
soil may be considered half the battle II
the land is properly prepared, w,H fer
tilted and the seed drilled in with q
first class Implement the damage TO the
young plants by heavy freezes is reduced
to its minimum. Too many farmers
roughly lev off the lands in unbroken
| folds broadcast ba ore ch in
and eynect for nature to do the balance
ani o furnish good results in the end
This method Of no preparation and care
less sowing may have succeeded whcr
our lands were in virgin fertility, but il is
different now. Profitable crops can only
be secured by the most panstakng care
and a knowledge at how 10 properly have
he work done.
As 4 rule early and deep plOwng VIII
give the best results, and fall oats should
be aoWn either in September on carly
October. If not planted then II would De
best TO wait until the middle OF Fe5ru-
airy for a spring crop. If the fall crop
is properly put in and seasons are favor
able. the yield is likely to be from Z
third to twice the yield per acre from
spring sowing. The longer period of tim"
il which fall soWings have to develop and
mature gives decided advantage over
spring oats Fall oats arc heavy, spring
oats arc light.
PREPARATION AND FERTILIZation.
As stated above, it is an undesirable
| fact, that in thorough preparation OF the
soil before planting, half the battle -
won in making heavy yield OF any cro7.
Prepare we'll the land to be plo1eI in
oats by deep plowing and afterwards
harrow the soil down to good line filth.
The finer the soil. is cut up. the more
readily it yields up its natural stores o.
l plant food. 4 plant can get nothing
from clods and bricllbats. # compost is
used as q fertilizer it may be broad
casted over the land after the regular
plowing and narrowed in before the seed
are drilled.
. With commercial fertilizers the work
of fertilzing and drilling may be done al
the same time. II the seed cannot be
put in with drill. The net best thing
, to do is to Law off small burrows u to Is
inches apart, SOW in the seed by hand
OF distributors and cover lightly with q
board made long enough to strike or 3
rows at time boiling on tho board 10
: lie foot Of the pillow. Oats are dear
feedrs and must be highly manured with
r5itrogenous fertilizers TO develop good
crops ana save the soil from too heay2
raid urcn its natural supplies OF plan.
food
a compost OF stable manure and cotton
seed will furnish the best balanced fer
tiliZer for oats and materially guard
against TIE destructive effect CT freezes
} in January and early February 4 COM
I mercal fertilizer made up Of 800 pounds
, of cotton seed meal TOO pounds phos-
: phoric acid and 400 pounds kanit broad
|
per acre should also give good results
: The crop Of cotton is short and will be
| gathered early. this Will give the farm
ers ample opportunity to put in their