14 SOUTHERN FIELD CROPS 



can often be profitably utilized by sowing oats in the fall and fer- 

 tilizing in March with nitrate of soda. 



One difficulty in growing Red Rust-proof oats without fertilizer 

 on poor and rocky land is the fact that the short straw made by 

 this variety under such conditions makes it difficult to save all 

 the heads in harvesting the crop. This difficulty is largely over- 

 come by the use of nitrate of soda and other fertilizers rich in 

 nitrogen. 



Oats thrive on a moderately rich soil, and fertility is especially 

 important when sowing is done after Christmas. On land exces- 

 sively rich in nitrogen, and at the same time quite moist, there is 

 danger that the straw will grow so tall and weak as to fall or lodge, 

 and thus reduce the yield. The same danger may occur from 

 excessive use of stable manure or other nitrogenous fertilizer. 



16. Place in the rotation. The usual position of the 

 oat crop in a rotation in the cotton-belt is immediately 

 after corn, the oats being followed by cowpeas the same 

 year, and the cowpeas being followed by cotton the next 

 year. This is the logical practice for fall-sown oats, since 

 the corn crop can be removed in October in time for the 

 sowing of oats, while cotton is usually not removed 

 in time for the largest yield of fall-sown oats. However, 

 in regions where spring sowing of oats is practiced, this 

 crop may just as well follow cotton as follow corn. 



In the usual practice of fall-sowing of oats after corn, the oats 

 get the advantage of the fertilizer produced by the cowpeas 

 that are usually planted between the rows of corn. 



Inquiry is sometimes made whether it may not be practicable 

 to grow oats continuously on the same land with a catch-crop 

 of cowpeas each summer, the cowpeas to be used for hay. This 

 would be advisable only under exceptional conditions and when 

 phosphoric acid and. potash could be restored to the soil in the 

 fertilizer, especially in the fertilizer for the cowpea crop. 



