Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1917-08-28
REST STATIONS Observation-Disclosures
BE ESTABLISHED By'MusT SOW LARGER
RED CROSS UNITS. AcREASE IN OATS

WASHINGTON, d. c., August Is
Because of the shortage of corn in
some sections of the South and the
more than usual need Tor growing
at home all the feed that stock will
require, a liberal acreage should be
sown to winter oats this fall where
ever that crop adapted. While many
farmers had a disastrous experience
with oats last winter when a large
part of the crop was destroyed by the
February freeze, repetition of that
occurrence this year is not very prob
able. Oats are generally recognized
a. being ordinarily the best grain crop
for fall sowing in the South as it
usually yields better than other grains,
natures early, and both the grain and
the straw may be fed to live stock.
In fact, it is very general practice
in many sections, either to cut oats
fer hay or to feed them in bundle,
to work to stock, thus providing both
grain and roughage.
Seed Economy.
The scarcity and high price of seed
oats this fall, due to the short crop
last spring, make it desirable to use
special precautions to get good
stand with as little seed as possible.
AS less seed is needed when the seed
is sown early on well-prepared land,
attention to these points all pay well.
Oats usually do best after cultivated
crop, such as corn or cotton. If these
crops have been kept free from weeds,
it is best not to pillow the land but
to make fine, mellow seed bed two
or three inches deep, with the disk,
spring tooth, or spike-tooth harrow
The disk harrow is the best of these
tools for this purpose, though the
spike tooth or something narrow
should be used the last time over the
field to break clods left by the disk
and to leave the surface fine and
smooth for the seed. A good seed
bed may also be made with the disk
harrow on land from which a crop OF
cowpea or soy bean hay has been re-
moved. Flowing is not usually adj
visiable unless the land is very hard
or weedy, as it leaves the ground so
loose that it dries out readily. If the
field must be plowed, the work should
be done at least two weeks before
seeding time and the land then disked
or dragged thoroughly to firm it.
Fertilization
If the land is rich or if it has been
heavily fortified for the preceding
crop. no further fertilization is neces-
sary. On most soils, however, the ad-
dition of 100 to 200 pounds of acid
phosphate or some other form of pnos-
phate fertilizer before or at seeding
time is beneficial. Fertilizers con-
tanning nitrogen are usually applied
to best advantage about the time
growth starts in the spring.
Varieties Recommended
In the Gulf states, Georgia and the
Carolinas, the oat to grow is the Red
Rustproof or some of its various
forms, as Appler, Bancroft, Cook,
Hundred Bushel, or Patterson. The
Fulghum, a very popular variety in
many sections, is quite similar to Red
Rustproof, but has the advantage Of
ripening ten days to two weeks earlier.
In Arkansas, Tennessee and Virginia
the Winter Turf is the best variety
to sow in the fall, as it is harder
than Red Rustproof and Tulghum.
Seeding Dates
Winter oats should be sown in Tenn
essee and Virginia from September
Il to October Is, according to the To-
cality. In the Carolinas and the north
ern portion of the other southern
states sow from October 1 to Novem-|
Der 1, and in the southern half of Geor-
gia and the Gulf States sow from Oc-
tober Is to November 15 The farther
north or the higher the elevation at
which the seed is sown, the earlier
should be the date of seeding.
Sowing Suggestions
The grain drill is the best method
of sowing oats. If one is not avail
able, the seed may be sown with an
ordinary cotton or corn planter or a
one horse drill. Sewing broadcast and
blowing or discing in requires more
seed and is a poor and uncertain
method. The usual rate of seeding