The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-09-25
ALABAMA HAS VERY LARGE CROP OF OATS Reports Indicate That This Will Be Bumper Year BULLETIN IS ISSUED Farmers of Alabama and the South Generally Are Coming to Realize
 the Value of Growing
 Small Grain
BULLETIN IS ISSUED
BY WALTER HARPER

| "A | Washington, D. C., September H.
 Special )-The average annual produe- ton of oats In the state Of Alabama, | for the ten years from 1900 to lsos inclusive was 3,509,50S bushels. The
 crop for the year 1910 amounted to b.
 49o 900 bushels The farm value of this
 crop on December 1 was s3,2s6,00O l The average yield per acre in Ala
 bama last year was 1S.5 bushels. The
 average yield for the previous ten years
 was t5.6 bushels. The average yield
 for the United States last year was 91.9
 bushels. Alabama's showing is very
 creditable as compared to the other southern states of equal climatic and
 other advantages. Georgia's average yield last year was 1s.2 bushels. | Reports from Alabama indicate that | this years crtp of oats VII be much
 larger than that of last year During the spring and early summer while the crop was maturing 1 made trips to rnmber of tke best small grain growing sections in the state and the crop at these seasons was exceptionally prom | ising. v e4s ',t, ssl l The farmers Of Alabama Nand the
 south generally are coming to appre-
 oiate more and more the value of grow ing small grain not only for their
 value as feed fer stock and money crop, but for their value in a well planned system of crop rotation. In | all the southern states below Ken
 lucky and Virginia fall sown or winter
 wheat and oats may be most successfully grown and produce as fine results as
 spring sown grain in the north and west.
 The department of agriculture of the
 United States has just issued bulletin
 on winter oats for the south that gives some very valuable information on this
 subject. It is Farmers Bulletin No. 436. If you are interested you should
 get it and read it carefully. The bull letin costs you nothing but a post card
 or a stamp as long as they last. Oat hay is higher in all the food constituents than timothy, hay, which | is frequently shipped into the south
 and sold at high prices.
 The high value of oats for feeding
 to horses and mules Is generally well | understood. The market price of oats
 in the south Is usually so high that this grain cannot be fed with profit | to any other class of animals. | Oats make excellent hay, which ma
 lures early enough in the season to
 allow the production of another crop on | the land The yield is heavy, from the | to three tons to the acre, according | to the fertility of the soil and the quail | ity is high. The hay is easily cured and is relished by all kinds of stock. l The yield and feeding value may be increased by growing vetch or some other Iuguminous crop with the oats. | saw fine samples of this ombination on the experiment. farms at the district agricultural school at Sylcauga and the
 Talladega college for negroes at Talla- dega Veich and oats were the com l binations used. Each plant seemed to | be stimulus to the other and the combination hay is most excellent. There is another virtue In this com biped crop that should not be under estimated. Sown in the fall the crop gives an excellent winter cover for the ground, preventing washing and the | luguminous crop enricheS the soil. IT | this crop is out early for hay, and ii must be remembered that fall sown grains mature earlier than those sown l in the spring and are much more hardy. there Is time for another crop of corn, cotton or other products.
 If the crop is allowed to mature for the grain there is still time for sec ond crop of corn or peas. It is better | to follow oats with peas.
 Here is an excellent rotation that has been tried and proven by the expert mentors of the department. First plant corn and cowpeas, oats followed by cowpeas and then cotton in three-year rotation.
 I In the new order of agricultural de- velopment in the south and especially in | Alabama where there Is strong ten dency to introduce the raising of more
 stock. the value of winter oats as we'll
 as other small grains should not be | neglected.
 | Oats and other small grain can be sown in the fall when the farmer has
 most time. It can be made to utilize
 lands that might go 10 waste at small expense and labor. The crop improves | the land and prevents soil washing in 1 winter. and it has been demonstrated l that winter oats are superior in every
 way to spring sown oats.
 | Following is a summary of what the department experts have to say on | growing oats in the south
 only small portion of the area of the | southern states is devoted to the produc- l ton of oats. The average production for 1 the past 10 years of 16 states was about l S70. 0,000 bushels, or S.5 per cent of he I crop of the United States The average | age acre value $10.09.
 Winter oats are valuable crop for the
 south as they form soil cover during winter which prevents washing and pro-
 duce considerable quantities of grain and l forage for stock.
 1 Winter oats are superior to spring oats ! in the south, as they mature earlier. pro- vide a soil coverr produce larger yields, | and allow more time for the preparation | of the land for spring crops.
 Two types of winter oats are common l ly grown, the red rustproof and the win- | ter turf. The red rustproof is rather | less hardy than the winter turf, but yields more grain and natures earlier. | The latter Is recommended for the north
 ern portions of the winter oat belt and
 for use as hay and pasture crop. ] Winter oats can be grown in aall the | southern states and as far north az
 Delaware. Maryland. Kentucky and south
 ern Missouri. The crop is not certain to | survive the winter over a large portion Of this area, however. 3-4sA | Any soil which will produce "a good