The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1907-05-29
A GREAT oAT CROP.
,lr. E. c. Haynsworth Had Second
Best i'll the United States.

The following interesting account
Of an oat crop grown by Mr.. E. c.
Haynsworth on his farm near this
city shows what can be done on
Sumter county land. It is no small
thing for Sumter county to produce
the second largest yield of oats per
acre in competition with the entire
United States The largest yield, 130
bushels per acre, was made in Mon
tana:.
Prof. Thos. Shaw, in the American
Agriculturist of May 18th, 190V, says:
The particulars regarding this
great crop of oats were not forwarded
by the grower, Mr.. E. c. Haynsworth,
CT Sumter, S. c., until April 1S, after
the list of contestants had been made
out. The grower o this crop is certain
" entitled to at least favorable no
tee, although it is unfortunate that
the details were not forwarded sooner
This crop of Texas red, rust proof
oats was grown on sandy loan soil
underlaid with open clay. The land
had originally produced growth, it is
supposed. Of pine, cak, hickory and
dogwood. The soil is gray in color
and is naturally we'll drained. In
1903 cotton was grown on the land,
in 1904 cotton. which gave nearly sew
en-eighths bale per acre, and in
1905 spring oats sown, which yielded
about so bushels per acre. Cowpea
hay followed the same season. which
Yielded about two tons per acre. In
addition was large amount Of fallen
vines which could not be cut by the
mower, and this was plowed under
rhen preparing the land for the oats.
For the crop of 1905 the land was
p1owed in October to a depth Of II
:nches, and for the crop of 1906 to
the depth OF s inches. The former
was done by four horses, the latter by
two. The seed was sown late in Oc-
tober. The disking was done with the
seed drill while applying the ferti-
lizer used previous to sowing the
grain. The fertilizers comprised 100
pounds cotton seed meal, 100 pounds
kainit and 200 pounds acid phosphate.
Toward the end Of March 125 pounds
nitrate Of soda were sown by hand
on the growing crop. The cost Of the
fertilizer used was $5.14. Two bushels
G.; seed were sown with the grain drill
crossing at right angles the drill
marks made while sowing the ferti- |
lizers No narrowing followed the |
sowing as the ridges between the fur
rows in which the grain was depos-
tied are considered an advantage in
furnishing winter protection. Mr..
Haynsworth states that it is the COM |
mon practice to cultivate with the
weeder after applying the nitrate, but
this was not done in the present in
stance because Of the unfavorable
weather conditions.
The grain was harvested June 1,
when fully. if not overripe. On June
? heavy and repeated showers fell
and subsequently, so that to dry the
crop the sheaves had to be turned
three times. The rain to some extent
damaged the crop. The winter was
rather wet for the oats, but the tenn
perature was favorable and the
growth from the first was vigorous.
The total yield Of cleaned grain was
1856 pounds The measured bushei
weighed 2S pounds. Taking the
measured bushel >as 80 pounds, the
yield would be los bushels from the
acre. This, in point Of yield, would
make Mr.. Hsynsworth second among
the contestants who have reported.