Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1917-08-28
UNvl'ttAAt,

possible acre. in Texas. In the small grain
increased acreage in winter cereals, wheat.
oats and some rye and barley, hut in East
Texas and much OF the coastal belt com
paratively little attention is paid To these
grains and there should be preparation
made at once for a greatly increased
acreage, especially of oats and rye, as
winter posture and cover crops. In only
a few parts Of the state are bur clover
and rescue grass used for winter pasture
where these are not vet introduced the
grains must be used for pasture.
The winter grain crops serve the two
fold purpose of furnishing protection to
the land from winter teaching and eros
ing the winter months. when there j. no
natural pasturage end when hay, fodder
and other roughage must be- provided or
winter pasturage must be furnished by
growing the small grains.
The full possibilities of the winter graz,
ing crop have never been realized in Tex
as. We have not appreciated the value
va tult kGCNu lCS III HI XIII
eral health and full working power of our
animals in the winter months, keeping the
hogs growing or sustaining the milk flow
where dairy COWS are kept.
Owing to the prolonged drouih Of the
past summer. Texas j. entering the win
ter with small hay and fodder supply and
depleted corn cribs, and succuleni, green.
r~srt.- ur-t~o- I'LL -..rl.. ofl
feed Of the best quality and permit u TO
carry the usual. or even a greater num-
her Of animals through the winter and
bring them to the lush grass Of spring in
good condition.
These winter pasture crops esrve an
added purpose in covering the surface Of
the soil, preventing the washing away of
The top soil by the winter rainfall and
they-fili the soil with a fine root growth.
improving its mechanical condition and
saving the soluble nitrogen from teaching
or passing down through the soil with the
drainage wafer. When turned under in
the spring, they add to the humus in the
sod, helping to make available to succeed
ing crops the plant foods, and when pas
turcd, the droppings of the stock further
tend to increase fertility. These small
grains may also be profitably used for
hay. For such use they are cut when in
the dough stage and handled as any other
hay crop.
As far as possible every acre Of land
in East Texas and the coast country,
which has gown corn and cotton this sea-
son., should he sown in winter grains a.
early as they can be prepared. In much Of
this country, where pasturing has not been
maintained too long. a profitable grain
crop may be made ii desired BY early
planting, though it Is doubtful if il will
he found profitable to attempt TO harvest
the entire seeding 10 grain because Of the
necessity for early planting Of the spring.
and summer crops. This will necessiiateI
the blowing of the winter grain land be-
fore IFS crop is matured. but IL desired. al
small acre may be sown in September and
held for the grain crop and this will fur
nish pasture for about one and one-halfl
months in winter without injury To the
grain yield.
The small grains need a deep, hut firm.
seed bed and where corn and cotton land
was deeply plowed in the spring it may
be prepared for grain by removing the
stalks Of the summer crop and discingI
and narrowing, this land c~mfwypetaoin
and narrowing, this being possible only
where flat cultivation has been practiced.
Where the land was shallowly plowed for
summer crops and poorly cultivated. flat
breaking will be necessary, but the seed
he'd should be formed with roller or float.
Wherever possible the drill should be used
in seeding. This puts the seed in place
below the surface and insures a good
stand with less seed. Broadcasting should
be resorted TO only where the drill is not
available, and when this method of seed
ing Is used extreme care should be ex-
ercised in narrowing. There j. q great
loss OF seed and many poor stands result
from broadcast seeding, because of fail
pre TO properly cover the seed. Ii j. rec
commended where seed j. broadcasted that
the roller or float be used after the seed
ing and narrowing. TO further cover the
seed and firm the soil about them.
where a grain crop is desired il is
found, especially near the coast that seed
ing early in September will give the best
results. For cover crop and pasturaeel'
only, seeding may be made a. late a.
November and in the coastal countries sat
isfactory results have been obtained from
seeding as late a the middle of Decem-
her, though this is not advisable and this
late seeding should only be resorted to