CHAPTER XIV 



THE OATS CROP 



j4 S a market crop in most sections of the country the 



/ \ oats crop is of minor importance. In the Middle 

 X -m. and Northern States and the Pacific Northwest 

 oats are always a spring-sown crop, while in the South, 

 from central Virginia, southward, fall-sown varieties are 

 the only oats that make a crop that will come up to the 

 market standard in weight. Spring oats, even in the 

 southern parts of the Middle States seldom reach the 

 perfection that they do further north. 



The varieties of oats used for fall sowing in the South 

 are few in number. The two varieties, the Texas Red 

 Rust Proof and the Virginia Gray Winter Turf oats, 

 being almost exclusively the varieties used. These are 

 far more hardy than the spring oats sown in the North, 

 and even for spring sowing in the South these hardy sorts 

 are better than the northern spring oats. 



The fall oats are better suited to the sandy coast lands 

 of the cotton belt of the South than wheat is, and in these 

 sections they should take the place of wheat in the rota- 

 tion, while in the Piedmont country of the cotton belt they 

 can be used as we have before suggested, as a crop to fol- 

 low com and to be followed by peas for a preparation 

 for wheat. 



As a rule, the winter oats are sown too late all over the 

 South. Early September is the time for sowing fall oats, 



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