Southern field crops (exclusive of forage plants)

Front matter

ras “epednee ee ee

ALBERT R. MANN LIBRARY CORNELL UNIVERSITY

Cornell University

Chapter I

PAGES Oats — Avena sativa . : ‘ c - ‘ , * . 131 Structure, 1; Varieties, 6; Climate, Soils, and Fertilizers, 18; Cultural Methods, 16; Enemies, 23; Laboratory Exercises, 29 ; Literature, 31.

Chapter II

Wnreat— Triticum sativum : ‘i , ‘ : F 32-67 Structure and Composition, 32; Species and Varieties, 40; Soils, Rotation, and Fertilizers, 45; Preparation and Sowing, 50; Harvesting, 58; Enemies, 59; Laboratory Exercises, 64; Literature, 67,

CHAPTER III RYE anpD BARLEY ‘ ‘ : : . : ; Z 68-77 Rye — Secale cereale . : 7 ‘ . : . 68 Barley — Hordeum sativum F r ‘ - . 74

Laboratory Exercises, 77 ; sieeeatare: 77.

CHAPTER XIX Cotton — Sorts anp FERTILIZERS

General Considerations on Fertilizing Cotton, 315; Ni-

248-266

267-273

274-281

282-299

800-314

815-340 trogenous Fertilizers, 325 ; Phosphatic Fertilizers, 329 ; Potash Fertilizers, 332 ; Miscellaneous Fertilizers and Effects of Fertilizers, 335 ; Laboratory Exercises, 339 ; Literature, 339.

xvi CONTENTS

CHAPTER XXX Tozacco — Nicotiana tabacum

523-547

Cultural Methods, 530; lumen a Curing, 5389 ; Enemies, 545 ; Laboratory Exercises, 546; Literature, 547.

INDEX .

549 563 i i an

SCO KMNHMAP HOHE

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Part of an Oat Plant, showing the Absence of Clasps ,

A Panicle of Oats . j

Oak Spikelet in Bloom. (L. ‘. Bailey)

Spikelets of Red Rust-proof Oats .

A Panicle of Red Rust-proof Oats

Burt Oats .

Spikelets of Burt Oats

Oats destroyed by Smut F : i

Green-bug (Toxoptera graminum). (S. J. Hunter) :

Two Stages of a Lady-bug which destroys pares (S. J. Hunter)

. Oats and Wheat grown with Crimaon Clover. "(Alabama

Experiment Station) .

Part of a Young Wheat Plant

. Floret of Wheat. (L. H. Bailey) é

. A Head, Spikelet, and Grain of Bearded Wheat .

. A Typical Head of Beardless Wheat

. A Good Sample of Wheat. (California Heenan Station) . Heads of Wheat Z P é 3 2 :

. Heads of Wheat : . . . ‘ , Shocks of Wheat from Pua iiens, (Alabama Experiment

Station)

. Double-disk Grain Drill

. Loose Smut of Wheat 2 - F

. The Angoumois Grain-moth. (W. E. Hinds)

. Heads of Southern Rye

. Part of a Young Rye Plant, aiawiie ihe small Clasps of he

. A Mixture of Rye and Grimson Cioxeey . Ergot in a Head of Rye. (L. H. Bailey)

xix

XX LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS FIG. PAGE 27. A Head and Grains of Bearded Barley . : . : . 74 28. The Large Clasps of Barley Leaf . : 5 : : 75 29. Head and Spikelet of Beardless Barley . : Z . . 76 30. Roots of Corn 47 Days after Level Planting. (Kansas Ex-

periment Station) 79 81. Showing Roots of Corn 47 ‘Days fier Planting in "Deep

Furrows. (Kansas Experiment Station) . ‘ » 81 32. Brace-roots on the Corn Plant . 5 : . . 82 38. Part of a Corn Leaf showing Wavy Mareing. 84 34. An Ear of Corn on which Leaf-blades are borne on tiie Tips

of many of the Shucks 85 35. Differences in Height and Position of Ear in n the ‘Game Was

riety . : 2 87 36. Diagram showing Course of the ‘Pollen- ‘ihe from Silk és

Ovary. (C. S. Ridgway) . F 89 87. The Embryo-sac of Corn at the Time of Fertilization. (F. E.

Lloyd) ‘ é 90 38. A Well-proportioned Rar of a . Hard Yellow Vattety 91 39. Transverse Section through Corn Grains 94 40-45. Ears of Henry Grady Corn to be criticized by wipes

(L. N. Duncan) . , s . 102-103 46-57. Ears of Corn with Various Defects. ‘a, N. Duncan) 104-107 58. Ear with Long, Well-formed Grains. 7 : . 108 59. Ear with Short Grains . 108 60. An Ear having too much Space ‘hebwaan Grains near the

Cob 108 61. An Ear in yihieh tens is no Teast oases ‘betwee raihe near

the Cob 108 62. Showing Variations amend Corn Grains 109 63. Various Shapes of Corn Kernels. (Michigan Psesaeat

Station) 110 64. Sections across Greta of Dent, Flint, Pop, sweets ane Soft

Corn . 112 65. Longitudinal Sections through Grains of Dent, Flint, Pop,

Sweet, and Soft Corn . 118 66. Showing an Ear with Tip well dovered by Shucks 116 67. Showing an Ear Tip not well covered by Shucks . 116

Fig.

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS xxi

PAGE

68, 69. Varieties of Corn. (Alabama Experiment Station) 123, 124

77. 78. 79. 80. 81.

82. 83. 84, 85. 86. 87.

88. 89. 90. 91.

Showing the Immediate Effects of crossing a White Pop Corn with Pollen from a Yellow Dent Corn .

Relative Yields of the Same Variety of Corn from 2’ Breed: ing Rows of the Same Length. saa Experiment Station)

Diagram showing Arrangement of Rows in ‘Goer Hieedigeplot

Germinator made from 3 a Soap Box. (Ofte of Reporimant Stations, U. 8. Dept. Agr.) 5

Showing Injury from In-breeding Geni. CU. 's. Deparment of Agriculture) .

Showing Larger Yield on — not’ Tebireal “ww. 's. Depa ment of Agriculture) .

Young Corn Plants, from Tip, Middle, aid Butt emnalé (Michigan Experiment Station)

A Stalk-cutter. (B. F. Avery & Sons Co. <5

A Subsoil Plow. (L. H. Bailey) .

A Turn-plow .

A Disk-plow. (B. F. Avery & Sons Co. )

Combined Lister and Corn Planter. (U.S. Department ei Agriculture)

A One-row Corn Planter. (B. F. “Avery & Sons Co. es

Diagram of Young Corn Plants

Hand Corn Planter, for Replanting

A Spike-tooth Harrow. (B. F. Avery & Song Co. )

A Weeder. (L. H. Bailey) . 3

A One-horse, Spring-tooth Harrow. (B. F. Avery & Sons Co.) .

Check-row Cort Planter with Double Disks: to apatt a ‘Deep Furrow. (U. 8. Department of Agriculture)

Cowpeas growing between Rows of Corn

The Williamson Method of Corn Culture

Condition of Surface after ‘‘ Laying by’? Corn sccording io the Williamson Plan .

Showing ‘‘ Throw-board ’’ on Woaror: body er in inrvest: ing Corn. (Oklahoma Experiment Station) .

146 158 163 164 165

165 167 168 169 171 172

173 175 182 186 187 xxii “LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

FIG. PAGE 98. Shocking Horse . e . 194 94. Corn well Shocked. (Oklahoma Bieperiamat Station) . 196 95. Sled Corn Cutter, with Automatic Knife Guards. (U. 8. Department of Agriculture) . 197

96. A Home-made Sled Corn Cutter. (Ww. Ss. Department af Agriculture) . 3 . 197 97. A Corn Harvester. tintereational Harvester Co. > « . 199 98. Corn Husker and Shredder at Work. (L. H. Bailey) . 200

99. A Field of Corn in Alabama that yielded 1033 Bushels per Acre. (Farmer’s Codperative Demonstration Work) . 203

100. The Budworm of Corn (Diabrotica pesca (After Chittenden) . ‘ 5 - : - 206

101. Eggs of Corn Ear-worm on ork Silks. (A. L. Quaintance,

U. S. Dept. Agr., Bureau of Entomology) . ‘ 208

102. The Corn Ear-worm at Work in the Tip of an Ear of Green Corn. (A. L. Quaintance, U. S. Dept. Agr., Bureau of Entomology) . . 209

103. The Corn Ear-worm peephis on the Tender Leaves of Gave.

(A. L. Quaintance, U. S. Dept. Agr., Bureau of Entomology) . ‘ . . 210 104. The Rice Weevil, most Destructive in Stored Corn. (Photo

by W. E. Hinds) . - . 211 105. An Ear of Corn injured by Weerils, (Photo hy W. E.

Hinds) . : . . 212 106. Larva of Angoumois Moth in a Grain of Corn, ‘(Photo by

W.E. Hinds) . . : 213 107. The Indian Meal Moth. (Photo by w. E. Hinds) : . 214 108. Corn Smut. (L. H. Bailey) 5 : . 215 109. Bundles of Two Varieties of Rice é ‘ . : . 218 110, 111. Two Types of Rice. (L. H. Bailey) . é - 220 112. Preparing for Rice in Louisiana. (Louisiana Experiment

Station) . 222 113. An Papertmetvtal: Field of Rice at Govier, fe. (Lonisi-

ana Experiment Station) . : ‘ : . 224 114, A Rice Field after Harvest. (Louisiana Experiment Sta-

115. Heads of Amber Sacer and of Red Kafir : . - 2384

FId.

118. 119.

126. 127. 128.

130. 181. 182.

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS - XxXlii

PAGE Orange Sorghum. (Bureau of Plant Industry, U. S. Department of Agriculture) . ‘ 285 Goose Neck Sorghum. (Bureau of Plant ‘Tndastey, U, s. Department of Agriculture) . . 236

A Field of Black-hulled White Katir. “(E, B. Voorhees) « 288 Heads of Milo and of Black-hulled White Kafir. (E. B.

Voorhees) . 3 ‘ ‘ : i . 239 Broom-corn Brush . : 242 A Vegetative Branch from near he Bass of a Catton lent 249 A Fruiting Branch of a Cotton Plant . ‘ ‘ é . 250 A Cotton Plant . J 251 Cotton Plant, on which the Vegetative Branches are : Bip.

pressed . F . . 252 A Cotton Plant, avn only Fruiting Tima : . . 253 Cotton Leaves . F ‘ . 255 Cotton Bolls. (U.S. Department of Agriculture) : . 258 A Cotton Plant deficient in Storm-resistance ‘ 260 Storm-resistant Boll and Burs; Bolls and Burs ingle

Storm-resistance i : : : ‘ 7 . 261 Various Shapes of Cotton Bolls F . ‘i : 2 . 277 A Sea Island Cotton Plant . ‘i 2 ‘ c é . 278 Where Sea Island Cotton is Grown. (U. S. Department

of Agriculture) 279 A Cotton Plant of the ere Type, (U. Ss. Department

of Agriculture) . . 284 A Fruiting Limb of a Ciustar Govan Plant. 5 a 3 . 285 A Cotton Plant of the Semicluster Type . zs 7 - 286 The Peterkin Type of Cotton Plant . 7 , . 287 A Cotton Plant of the King Type . ‘ . 288 A Cotton Plant of the Big-boll, Stonn-proot Type 5 . 289 A Cotton Plant of the Long-staple, Upland Type. (U. S.

Department of Agriculture) . 4 a * . . 291 Fibers of Several Varieties of Cotton . ‘ 7 . 292 A Productive Cotton Plant of the Toole varia . . 297 A Productive Cotton Plant. (University of Georgia) . 803

An Unproductive Cotton Plant. (University of Georgia) . 304 Diagram showing a Breeding Plot of Twenty Rows of Cotton . oe & ‘ 3 7 . . ‘ . 38il

XXiV LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

FIG.

145. 146.

147. 148.

158. 159.

Diagram showing Method of selecting Cotton. (H. J. Webber) . i F

Cotton Plants, showins: Hetention of teases gna Shedding of Leaves .

A Field of Cotton, Fortilized al Unfertilized

A Field of Cotton, showing the Effects of Potash in retain ing the Leaves . <

A Middle Burster, or Double Moldboard ‘Plow, (B. F. Avery & Sons Co.) - ‘ :

An Inexpensive Cotton Planter

One Form of Plow-stock 5

A Young Cotton Plant, showing Two Seed dlenwes tt Two True Leaves ‘

Various Forms of Sweeps aad Bdinnes ead in Gultieatine Cotton. (L. H. Bailey) . : ‘

An Alabama Cotton Field. (Farmer’s Cobperative Demon: stration Work)

The Worswick-Hardt Cotton Picker at Work

The Dixie Cotton Picker

Vertical Section through the Dixie Cotton ‘Ploker when at Work : ‘ A , ,

Section through a Ginnaiy. " (Continental Gin Company) .

Transverse Section through a Cotton Gin. (Continental Gin Company) .

Foreign and American Balas

Cotton Bales left unprotected from Rain

Side View of Cotton Bales . Z F . ‘ 7

Bales from a Gin Compress. canal Gin Compress Company)

The Propelling Mechaniem of an old Homespower Gin. (From D. A. Tompkins’ ‘‘ Cotton a Factor in Progress’)

Percentage of the Total American Crop of Cotton grown in Each State in 1908. (U.S. Census Bureau) .

Percentage of World’s Mill Supply of Cotton contributed by Each Country in 1908. (U.S. Census Bureau) .

Moths of Cotton Boll-worm and Corn Ear-worm. (U. 8S. Dept. Agr., Bureau of Entomology)

PAGE

316 322

367 368

FI@,

174. 175.

177. 178.

187. 188.

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

The Cotton .Boll-worm on the Outside of a Cotton Boll. (U.S. Dept. Agr., Bureau of Entomology) :

Pupal or Chrysalis Stage of the Cotton Boll-worm and the Corn Ear-worm. aa S. Dept. Agr., Bureau of Entomology)

Pupa of Boll-worm in its Wuidexeround Gutrow. (Adios Quaintance and Brues, U. S. Department of Agriculture)

The Mature Ball-weevil, (Ww. E. Hinds)

Cotton Square, showing Boll-weevil Larva in Position. (After W. D. Hunter, U. S. Dept. Agr., Bureau of Entomology) * : é é 4 . 7

Punctured Cotton Square. (After W. D. Hunter, U. S. Dept. Agr., Bureau of Entomology)

Cotton Stalk Cutter. (Louisiana Crop Pest Gomuission) +

Side View of Cotton Stalk Cutter. (Louisiana Crop Pest Commission) ‘ P §

Cotton Plant in the “Budding” Stage. (Louisiana Crop Pest Commission) 3 z .

The Hinds Chain Cultivator. cw. E. “Hinds)

Map showing the Areas infested by the Boll-weevil. (U. s. Dept. Agr., Bureau of Entomology)

Cowpea-pod Weevil. (After a gaat U.S. Dent Aer fr Bureau of Entomology) .

Cotton Plants attacked by Wilt . 5

Section through Wilted and Healthy Cotton Stalks

Root-knot or Nematode Injuries on Cotton Roots. (C. F. Atkinson) 2 é ‘ ‘

Anthracnose on Cotton Bolls. (C. F. Atkinson) 5

Diseased Leaves, Boll, and Stem of Cotton Plant. (W. A. Orton, Bureau of Plant Industry, U. S. Department of Agriculture)

A Field of Hemp. (Bureau of Plant Industry, U. s. Department of Agriculture) . 2 :

Leaf and Flowers of Hemp. (L. H. Bailey)

A Field of Sweet-potatoes in Alabama . . .

XXV PAGE

396 400

402 403

408 412 418

416 417

422 423 425 427 xxvi LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

FIG.

194, 195.

196. 197.

202. 203.

A Branch of a Vineless Sweet-potato Plant. (After Price, Texas Experiment Station)

Three Shapes of Sweet-potato Leaves. (After Price, Texas Experiment Station)

Sweet-potato Slips ready to be sek (U. s. Deparuient of Agriculture). :

Devices employed in Setting Sweet notako ‘slips mie Vine Cuttings. (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

Transplanting Machine a Sweet-potatoes. os ma Bailey) 7

Sweet-potatoes atteahial toa , Bestia of Planted Vine

Special Plows for Digging Sweet-potatoes. (U.S. meets ment of Agriculture) : :

End View of House for Storing Sweat-qiotatons .

Cross Section through Sweet-potato, showing Injuries = Borer. (After Conradi, Texas Experiment Station)

Black-rot on Root and Slip of Sweet-potato. (After B. Halsted, New Jersey Experiment Station)

The Cassar’ Plant. (U. 8. Department of Actoaltuess

Method of Preparing Bed for Keeping Cassava Seed-stems over Winter. (S. M. Tracy, U. S. Department of Agriculture) . an fee ; .

The Lower Part of a Peanut Plant. (U. S. Department of Agriculture) : : .

A Peanut ‘ Popper.’’ ‘cw. N. Repeat}

A Field of Spanish Peanuts grown from Selected ‘Bed. (W. N. Roper, American Nut Journal) .

Pods and Peas of Three Varieties of Peanuts. (U. Ss. Department of Agriculture) . : . . é

A Bunch of Spanish Peanuts. (W.N. Roper) .

Stacking Peanuts. (U. 8S. Department of Agriculture)

A Part of a Stem of Sugar-cane. (W. C. Stubbs)

Cross Section of Part of a Stem of Sugar-cane. (W. R. Dodson) i

Cross Section firouaht a Buniile from the Stem of Guiguns cane. (W.R. Dodson) . 2 ‘ ,

One Form of Cane Loader. (L. H. Bailey) F : 3

FIG.

217. 218.

221,

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS xxvii

A Field of Velvet Beans . . . ‘

Cutting Sugar-cane in Louisiana. (W. R. Dodson) .

A Cane Stripper . ‘ : 3 : ‘ ‘ ‘

Diagram of Tobacco Flower. (After Shamel and Cobey) .

Showing the Results of Breeding a Strain of Tobacco Resistant to Disease. (Bureau of Plant Industry, U. S. Department of Agriculture)

Young Tobacco Plants. (Bureau of Plant Industry, Uz s. Department of Agriculture) ; ‘

A Tobacco Seed Blower. (A. D. Shamel)..

A Cloth Shade or Tent. (Bureau of Plant Industry, U. s. Department of Agriculture)

A Transplanting Machine for Setting Tobacco. (Bureau of Plant Industry, U. S. Department of Agriculture)

Young Tobacco Plants growing under a Lath Shade in Alabama .

Diagram showing how Leaves of Wiappér Tobacco are 2 Cut. (U. S. Department of Agriculture) .

Southern Tobacco Worm. ae 8. Pe a “Bureau of Entomology) . :

528 529

Chapter I Oats — Avena Sativa

.THE oat plant is included in the great family of the grasses (Graminee), as are all the grains. It came into use at a later date than did wheat and barley.

The seed or grain of oats is used chiefly as food for horses. It is also employed, in the form of oatmeal and other cereal dishes, as human food. The oat plant is useful for hay and for pasturage. Its straw is utilized as food and bedding for animals and as packing material.

STRUCTURE

1. Roots. — The oat, as the other grains, is a fibrous-rooted plant, having no tap-root. The crown from which the main stems originate is usually within about an inch of the surface of the ground.

2. Stems. — The stems of the oat plant originate in the same way as those of the wheat, each as a developed bud or branch, from an older stem. At each underground node of every stem a bud may develop into another stalk and its lower nodes in turn may send out additional shoots, Hence a single plant may bear an indefinite number of stems, the usual number, however, being two to six. A large number is formed by thin sowing and by abundance of moisture and, plant-food, or by hilling up earth around B 1 the lower nodes. The conditions that hinder tillering (sometimes limiting the number of stems to one or two to the plant) are thick sowing, late sowing, and deficiency of moisture or plant-food.

3. Leaves. — The leaf-blade of the oat is wider than that of wheat or rye, and on its margins are scattering hairs so fine as to be noticed only on careful examination.

At the junction of the leaf-blade and sheath there are no clasps or auricles (Fig. 1), which absence serves to distinguish the young oat plant from that of any other small grain.

4. Pollination. — The oat in nature is self-pollinated ; hence there is practically no danger of crossing between different varieties. Several varieties may properly be sown in adjacent fields, if care is taken to prevent mixing by me- Fria. 1.— Parr or an Oar Chanical means, as in harvesting

Pant. and threshing.

Showing the absence of 5. The panicle and spikelets. — clasps where leaf-blade and The grain-bearing part of the sheath join. : i

plant, though usually called a head, is really a panicle, or widely branched terminal part of the stem (Fig. 2). The branches of the head originate at the upper nodes or joints of the stem, several usually springing from each node. Each branch may bear a single spikelet (that is, a group of grains) or several spikelets.

Fie. 2.—A Panicue oF Oats.

The type here shown is Kherson, an early variety.

Each spikelet (Fig. 3) consists of two or more flowers, of which usually only two develop into perfect grains. Those that usually develop are the two grains nearest to the branch, the nearer or lower one being almost invariably the larger seed. Hence an oat spikelet may be said to consist in most instances of twin grains which may or may not be separated in threshing.

The third flower coming from the branch somet mes develops into a small grain, but more frequently it is abortive, or undeveloped.

Showing 2 outer 6 The grain.— Each grain consists pieces of chaff inclos- of a nearly cylindrical kernel and of a : Fk i gee an inclosing hull. This hull is tightly pollen cases (anthers) wrapped about the kernel, and is usuaad? plume-like stig- aily not removed in threshing ; but the

two parts are not grown together, as shown by the fact that by pinching the grain between the fingers the inner part can readily be forced out, free from any hull.

In most states the legal weight of a bushel of oats is 32 pounds. A measured bushel usually weighs 30 to 36 pounds. Oats are sold by the bushel of legal weight.

Saunders found that in the cool climate of Canada oats germinated well even when the seeds were three years old, after which time the percentage of germination rapidly decreased.

Fic. 3. — Oat SpPIKE- LET IN BLoom.

COMPOSITION

7. Analyses. — According to Hunt (“Cereals in America’’) the average of American analyses is as follows: —

OATS 5

Since the percentage of hulls varies in different varieties and in different seasons, the composition of different lots of oats is naturally variable. A sample of oats with slender or incompletely filled grains is inferior in composition and food value to a sample of plump oats. The hull averages about 30 per cent of the total weight of ‘the grain.

8. Draft on soil fertility. — The following table: shows the amounts of nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potash removed from the soil in a crop of 40 bushels of oats and the accompanying amount of straw: —

NITROGEN P parece PorasH

Oat grains, with hulls, per cent .| 1.76 0.59 0.48

Oat straw, percent . . 0.56 28 1.62 Oat grain removes in a crop of

Oat straw (1500 lb.) removes, ‘lb. 8.40 4.20 24.30 Total crop of 40 bu. and 1500 lb.

1 Calculated from data in Hopkins’ “Soil Fertility and Per. manent Agriculture.”

From the above table it may be seen that the oat plant makes considerable demands on soil fertility; that the greater part of the nitrogen and of the phosphoric acid is removed by the grain; and that by far the greater part of the potash is removed by the straw.

These figures should impress the fact that the straw should be returned to the land in the form of stable manure, after having been used either as food or bedding. In case it is impracticable to make either of these uses of the straw, the stacks should not be burned nor left to rot in one place, but immediately or after partly rotting the straw should be distributed over the galled spots in the fields.

In spite of the fact that a good crop of oats, if the straw be earried off, removes a considerable amount of plant-food, yet experience shows that the occasional introduction of an oat crop into the rotation increases the yield of succeeding crops. This is chiefly because of the vegetation occupying the land after oats are harvested. Even the growth of a mass of weeds may be helpful to some soils. However, the oat crop gives opportunity to improve the land still more rapidly, due to the succeeding growth of cowpeas, which is usually the best crop to follow oats.

9. Types of Southern oats. — In Europe, Canada, and the northern part of the United States, the number of varieties of oats in cultivation is considerable. However, nowhere does the number equal that of varieties of wheat.

In the Gulf States, few varieties of oats are grown. The types most commonly raised in the South are: —

(1) Red Rust-proof;

(2) Burt;

(3) Turf or Grazing.

OATS Tv

Each of these may be known under several names, or may have several strains. For example, among the subvarieties or selections of the Red Rust-proof type are Appler, Culberson, and Bancroft.

10. Red Rust-proof oats. — This is the most popular type of oats from North Carolina to Texas, and is variously called Red oats, Rust-proof oats, and Texas oats. It and its strains may be recognized, or distinguished from other varieties, by the following characteristics: When a bunch of slender bristles is present at the base of the lower grain ;

of a spikelet, they are of greater length than those sometimes occurring on other varieties growing in the South (Fig. 4); and almost invariably both of the developed grains in a spikelet ( are armed with beards, while in most A V7 other varieties the beards, if present, V7 usually occur only on the larger grain in each spikelet. The usual means of Fe

ae es i 1G. 4. —SPIKELETS OF distinguishing Red Rust-proof oats is RepRust-proorOats. by the reddish or yellowish appearance _Note length of brisof the grains that have not been stained ‘es 4t base of spikelet. ‘by bad weather, and the greater plumpness of the grains as compared with those of other Southern varieties. The head or panicle is rather compact, and the branches short (Fig. 5). ’

The straw of Red Rust-proof oats is stout or large, and on poor or medium land the plants do not grow as tall as do those of Burt and Turf oats. This stout straw makes Red Rust-proof oats less liable to fall or lodge than are the varieties just mentioned. In crops yielding 15 to 30 bushels per acre, there is usually about the same weight

Fic. 5.—A Panicte or Rep Rust-proor Oats.

of straw as of threshed grain; as the yield increases the percentage of straw increases.

OATS 9

The Red Rust-proof variety and its various strains — Appler, Culberson, and Bancroft — may be sown either in the fall or after Christmas. In hardiness toward cold, or ability successfully to withstand a severe winter, this variety, is superior to Burt but less hardy than Turf, and decidedly less hardy than barley, wheat, or rye. In spite of the occasional winter-killing of a crop of Red oats sown in the fall, it is usually more profitable throughout the greater part of the cotton-belt to sow in the fall than after Christmas. Means of decreasing winter-killing are indicated in paragraph 22.

In maturity, the Red Rust-proof group of varieties is earlier by two to three weeks than Turf oats sown at the same time in the fall. When sown after Christmas, Red oats are at least a week later than Burt oats sown at the same time.

Red Rust-proof oats are not really completely rust-proof, but strongly rust-resistant. In years when rust is especially severe, this variety is attacked and occasionally rather severely injured, but never to the same extent as other varieties.

In yield of grain, the Red Rust-proof type has on the whole been: more satisfactory in the cotton-belt than any other. It is especially more productive than Turf oats where the soil is poor or when the weather conditions are unfavorable.

Appler is a popular variety of the Red Rust-proof type, which sometimes has proved slightly more productive than an unselected strain of the Red Rust-proof.

11. Burt oats. — This variety (Figs. 6 and 7), sometimes known as “ May oats,’’ has a slender, bearded grain, usu-

Fie. 6.— Burt Oats.

ally of a grayish or light dun color. The branches of the head are long. In the greater part of the cotton region

OATS 11 the Burt oat cannot safely be planted in the fall, for it is frequently winter-killed. It is essentially a variety for sowing after Christmas. It is the earliest of the commonly grown varieties of the Southern region. Its earliness, together with its great height of straw, are in its favor when the date of sowing is late. The grain weighs less per bushel than Red oats, and shatters much more easily when harvested.

12. Turf or Grazing oats. — Among the names given to this variety, or to strains of it, are Gray, Virginia Gray, Winter, Turf, and Myers’ Turf. This pa es is the hardiest of the varieties, and has note shortness of been known to survive the winters a basal bristles, which little higher than the latitude of northern *” Pael evae Virginia. It is practically safe against winter-killing throughout the cotton-belt; yet it is not so hardy as wheat.

The grain is slender and of a gray or light dun color. Usually there are beards on one grain in each spikelet. This oat branches or stools freely, thus making it especially valuable for pasturing, and winning for it the name of “ grazing oats.” The straw is tall and slender.

This variety ripens about two weeks later than Red Rust-proof oats sown at the same time. It is much more susceptible to rust ; and on poor land or with unfavorable seasons it often fails to produce plump, well-filled grains. Its best place is in the region just north of the cotton-belt.

Turf oats are unsuitable for sowing after Christmas. This variety requires earlier planting in the fall than Red oats.

Turf oats are suitable for sowing with hairy vetch when both vetch and oats are to be threshed for seed. On rich land, the two plants ripen together, and usually enough seed of both are shattered in harvesting to reseed the land the next fall. On poor and medium land Turf oats grow off too slowly to be ready to cut for hay when hairy vetch is in the best condition for hay making. Therefore, for purposes of making hay it is usually better to sow vetch with Red Rust-proof oats than with Turf oats.

The weight of straw is usually about double that of grain.

13. Improvement of varieties. — Much less work has been done in improving the oat by selection and breeding than in cotton, corn, and wheat. Breeding experiments at the Alabama Experiment Station with the Red Rust-proof variety have shown clearly that most samples of seed of this variety are badly mixed; that even in apparently uniform samples there are numerous strains or elementary species; and that careful selection of individual plants may result in modifying the yield, the time of maturity, and other qualities.

Desirable improvements in the Red Rust-proof variety are: (1) increased yield; (2) greater uniformity ; (3) elimination of the beards and of the black grains; and (4) increased resistance to rust.

Desirable improvements in the Burt oats are: (1) larger yields; (2) increased uniformity; (3) elimination of the tendency to shatter; (4) greater plumpness of grain; and (5) adaptation of this variety to fall sowing, by selection of plants that withstand the cold of winter.