The Wilmington morning star., 1940-09-09

Total $500 74,7S1 121,759 e.
Note: Figures from N. C. Crop Re-
porting Service. No figures avail
able on barley.
The invention of the small COM
bine, and the change of many farms
from ~share-crop to hired labor have
aroused widespread interest in small
grains. Low prices of cash crops
since 1880, and the influence of the
Agricultural Adjustment Admins
tration's Program have increased
this interest.
The level and gently rolling lands
of the Coastal Plain lend themselves
to large scale farming with machin-
cry, to which small grains are well
adapted. The lower returns from
this type of farming L largely off
set by lower expenses. With many
combines doing custom work, the
small farmer, too, can easily grow
a few acres of grain.
Small grains also encourage the
growing of l~espedeza, since these
two crops may be planted together.
This combination is doing much tc
bring about a well balanced system
Of cash crops and livestock.
Varieties
Whatever the kind of grain, or the
variety, it is important to SOW seed
of good quality. The best is certi
fled seed, which is guaranteed to be
free of mixture with other varieties.
high in purity and termination, and
with a minimum of noxious weed
seeds.
Oats: The new cold and smut re
sistant varieties, such as Fulgrain
are best for the Coastal Plain. II
is safe to SOW these varieties in the
fall, with consequent prospects of a
better yield. while the old varieties
were so tender that most farmers
preferred to SOW them in the spring
Furthermore. the new varieties dc
not have to be treated for smut.
The Lee oat is a hardy, late
variety, excellent farther north anG
west; but its ~lateness makes il
less adapted than Fulgrain to the
Coastal Plain.
Plant breeders are now hopeful
of developing varieties resistant tt
rust. as we'll as to cold and smut
A good variety of this kind would
be extremely welcome.
Wheat: Redhart. an early variety
from Red May. is the most popular
variety in the Coastal Plain and one
of the best.
Purple Straw and Alabama Tue
stem are also good early varieties
and somewhat harder than Redhart
Purple Straw natures at about the
same time as hairy vetch, which is
an advantage when these crops are
| grown together for seed.
Late varieties should be avoided
because of frequent heavy damage
from rust.
Rye: No variety has yet beer
found that can compare with Abruz
ri for the Coastal Plain.
Barley: For a beardless variety
use the Tennessee s which can b.
used for either seed or hay.
Cultural Directions
Time and Rate Of Sowing: Thu
small grains are sown in the fall
after corn, cotton, tobacco, peanut!
or other summer crops. They arr
harvested in late May or early June
and may be followed by %lespedeza
soybeans or cowpeas.
Oats should be sown between Octo
Der Is and November 10. Earliel
sowing is favorable to rust, ant
later sowing may result in excessive
cold injury. Oats may also be sow
in February, where late harvest
make fall sowing impossible, but
other things being equal, spring SOW
ing produces lower yields than fal
sowing. Sow two bushels of oat
per acre in the fall; 2 IL to 5 bushels
in February.
Wheat should be sown Novembe
/ to 10. Early sown wheat is sub
ject to injury by the Hessian fl,
while the late sown wheat may no
leet a good start before winter sets in