Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-10-07

The best time for seeding winter oats
fs between the list and 18th Of October I'm
middle and north Georgia though IN
south Georgia seeding may be done Two
weeks later than this with perfect sate-
". Oats should constitute one OF the
most important general crops produced
An thfs state. The climatic conditions
are peculiarly favorable. and since this
crop is one OF the best that can be grown
for the maintenance OF work stock. more
attention 10 its cultivation should De
given. The time has passed when Geor-
gia. farmers can afford TO buy oats else
where when he can produce them at
home at a moderate cost ana IN quah1i'S
sufficient for his needs
There Is much diversity OF opinion
about the cat crop and frequent reports
OF failure are made. but the experience
Of practical farmers, coupled with the
investigations made by the various agri-
cultural colleges in the south show that
fthese failures are due To the neglect OF
some OF the fundamental principles
which govern successful crop growing
Realizing the very great Importance
which the cat crop is destined to play
in the economic production OF cotton In
the immediate future. IL has been deem
I'd well to take this as a subject Tor
consideration this week. and 10 outline
briefly a, plan for the cultivation or oats
which will prove successful in the great
majority OF instances. Occasionally
severe winter or a very dry IAN may
interfere. but the fact that some tar-
mers succeed in having at least fair
crop every year shows that the skill
full preparation of the land is one OF
the great factors in harvesting good
crop OF oats.
FIRST of all. the land should be well
prepared. II possible. the rotation oats
should be brought after corn in which
cowpeas have been grown After snap
ping off the corn, IL there is no i've
stock TO feed, the stalks and other lit
ter NAV be pIowed under. We do not
advocate the use OF corn stalks In this
fashion as they contain too much feed
to be thrown away. However. IL they
are not TO be fed. by all means turn
them under to increase the supply Of
vegetable matter in the land, and do
not burn them. Turn the land thorough
~ and completely. even though the area
planted to oats be greatly restricted,
as IL is essential that the soil be plOwed
before this crop Is seeded A disc plow
viii answer well for this purpose, though
an ordinary turner can be used where
there Is not much litter. Break the
land as deeply and thoroughly as posi-
BILE. Immediately after breaking double
disc or crOss-disc. Then, In order TO Sc
cure a uniform, smooth surface. run
pIanker over the soil. One of these in
str,lments can be easily and cheaply
made on any farm and viii prove an
Invaluable implement In putting the land
in proper condition to receive small seed
crops such as oats.
The oats should be sown on land that
contains considerable litter with disc
drill. Sow rather deeply and set the
disc so as to leave as wide a furrow
and as much OF a ridge between the
rows as possible The advantage OF a
disc drill for seeding oats where there
is litter on the ground lies in the fact
that il viii not readily clog. which would
certainly be the case with hoe drill.
BY sowing the oats rather deeply and
leaving the widest possible ridge and
the greatest amount Of earth banked up
on the sides, comparatively little de-
struction by frost need be anticipated.
This Is due to the fact that the earth
will be thrown down around the roots
OF the plants by the various freezes.
The importance of seeding early In any
locality is due to the fact that a strong
root development may be secured before
cold weather. This is half the battle in
securing a good stand that viii be re-
tanned through the winter. On the small
farm the ordinary cotton planter may
be used 10 seed the oats. In some sec
lions a specially manufactured drill is
used which leaves the crop in what is
known as the open furrow. The open
furrow method is the safest plan to fol-
low. as has been amply demonstrated
over and over again. This result, how
ever, can be secured in a large measure
By the disc drill, and certainly with
the one-horse cotton planter on the small
farm.
When seeding oats pat down at least
go 70 500 pounds OF a fertilizer composed
of about 100 pounds of high grade acid
phosphate. 500 pounds Of cotton seed
meal, $50 pounds of muriate of potash or
800 pounds Of kainit. This fertilizer will
contain approximately per cent of nitro
gen, per cent Of phosphOric acid. and
10 IS per cent Of potash. The nitrogen
may not always be necessary on land
that is well supplied with vegetable mat
ter. but we have seen comparatively little
soil in the state on which IL would he ad-