Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-05-30
WINTER OATS vs. CORN.

" ~ In ia > 10 N~~A~-Ff
i is a fact that $5S.ooo.ooo worth OF
corn was bought by Georgia farmers last
year. and this in the face Of the splen-
did demonstrations which the boys corn
clubs have made indicating in many IN
stances the possibility OF raising from 80
70 over leo bushels per acre Undoubt-
caiy the yield OF corn in the state can
he materially increased, and il is prob
able that the record this year viii show
that much has been achieved in the right
elrecti0nr and a substantial advance
made In reducing the amount OF money
sent from the state for the purchase or
icCrn which we should grow at home
While IL il desirable that we should IN
crease the yield OF corn per acre and ex-
tend the area OF land devoted to II. IL is
well 10 remember that there are other
ways Of supplying the needed FOOD
sturfs for the maintenance OF our live
stock Just as well as through the growth
OF corn In fact. il is probable that
some crops may be grown with greater
afsantace than corn. and that possibly
t6nae of these crops have even a better
4 1ptability to our soils and climatic con-
Cltlons than corn also that they Will
probably not exhaust the soil as rapidly
.As corn and may be made 20 act as WIN
Ter cover crops. thus helping 10 cneSh
ire frightfuI losses which occur largely
in the winter season through erosion be-
tnuse the land Is not covered with liv-
fag crop 20 hold the plant food and pre-
Ncnt washing.
TO Sc more scientific the crops which
may be made to rival corn in utility Tor
Georgia conditions are the winter &C.
reals. and of these none is more impov-
tant than the cat crop Special atten-
ton is called 20 this matter at the pres
ent time so that ample opportunity may
be afforded every farmer for preparing
an unusually large area OF land Tor
seeding 10 oats during the autumn As
4 matter OF fact. oats may be seeded
win special advantage after the cotton
CROP has been harvested II
put in single drills and sown
By the open furrow method In
the northern part OF the state good
yield Is almost as certain 10 be secured
as from any crop which can be planted
Tae son requires comparatively little
preparation and the seeding may DC
done IN = short space OF time OF
course. IL is important that the crop
be well fertilized. though the residue
left from the cotton crop VIII be OF con-
siderable benefit TO the cat crop Oats
may even be seeded before the cotton
has been picked for the last time In
other words. II the crop Is gathered
clean seeding may be done Immediately
thereafter without danger OF knocking
the lint out OF the bolIs. and the small
amount OF tramping incident to picking
out the cotton the last time Will not in
lure the oats IL is especially desirabae
nat oats be seeded after cotton because
when so planted they fit admirably into
a crop rotation. taking up the residue
OF plant food left by the cotton and put
ting a living crop on the soil 10 gather
and hold the nitrates during the winter
season when the greatest losses OF plant
food occur in our Georgia lands
Years Of experience In the growth OF
winter oats indicate that On land which
VII make a half bale Of cotton per acre
from 20 To 80 bushels OF oats may be
harvested Thirty bushels per acre on
red clay upland soils OF ordinary ferrli-
~ may be regarded as a fair crop, and
sometimes the yield has averaged better
than 40 bushels per acre or course
there are those who claim TO have raised
100 bushels per acre, but this is proba-
rlv on 8 special patch. whereas. tracts
q 20 70 so acres in extent are referred
70 in this instance
As a matter OF fact. the cat crop is not
as Exhaustive 10 the soil as the corn
crop. and is. therefore, better adapted
Tor growth on soils OF moderate fertili-
~ Thirty bishels OF corn with the sto-
YER viii remove from the land about As
pounds Of nitrogen. Is pounds OF phos-
nhoric acid and As pounds OF potash
Thirty bushels OF oats with the straw
will remove from the soil Is pounds of
nitrogen. 10 pounds Of phorphoric acid
ard "a pounds OF potash. There is dif-
fsrence in the amount OF plant food re-
moved IN favor OF the cat crop OF l.
mounds OF nitrogen. five younds of phos-
rherus and e pounds OF potash. Val
ming the commercial plant food at q
tents fer nitrogen. cents for phosphor-
- and cents for potash, its differ
r-1ce amounts in dollars and cents &c
e4ro per acre where the yields are the
same. his Is a aving worth cosnsijer-
ing
Passing now to consideration Of the
relative feeding value OF these TWO crops.
il appears that 100 bushels OF dent corn
contains about rs pounds OF digestible
proreln. s6S pounds Of digestible carbo-
ivarates and a pounds OF digestfble fat
One hundred bushels OF oats contain TO-
hounds OF digestble protein. sos pounds
~ digestible carbohydrates and IS pounds
~ diEestible fat IN other words. the
cats contain more protein and less carbo-
hydrates and fat. and provide much
more satisfactory ration for horses and
mules than corn alone They are not 50
heating as the corn and are better adapt
81 for summer feeding than that crop
and the only thing which has prevented
their extensive use IN the south has been
their high cost per bushel. due TO the
fact that 50 little land was devoted to
their cultivation and so little effort made
% produce them on commercial scale
- a matter OF fact, % bushels OF corn
weighing IS pounds per bushel, contain
about 100 pounds OF digestible protein
and - bushels OF oats weighing 3.
pounds per bushel contain about 10T