Canada, as a result of five years' tests, that Daubeney oats and Chancellor peas yielded 5.9 tons of green fodder in seventy days; Siberian oats and Prussian Blue peas 6.9 tons in seventyseven days; and Mammoth Cluster oats and Prince Albert peas 6.1 tons in eighty-four days from time of seeding. Two bushels of Siberian oats and one bushel of Prussian Blue peas are recommended for the production of either green fodder or dry fodder.' Hays found both in North Dakota and Minnesota that oats and field peas sown separately produced a better yield of grain than a mixture.2

406. Oats and Rape.-By sowing one pound of rape seed with six pecks of oats the Iowa Station produced sixty bushels of oats, while in October the rape produced eighteen tons of green substance per acre. In order to avoid interference with harvesting oats, rape should be sown two to three weeks later than the oats. The rape may be pastured or plowed under as green manure. .

"There is no doubt but that the first step in the economical use of phosphates is to imitate nature and endeavor to keep the soil well supplied with organic matter; for it is only by such means that the phosphates contained in the soil naturally and those applied artificially can be fully utilized by the cultivated crops.

"It is very evident from all the tests cited that some crops, particularly the turnip family, have a greater ability than others to use crude or insoluble phosphates, and these experiments would certainly teach that the aim should be to employ such crops for rendering insoluble phosphates available, and by such a practice save much that is now being spent for sulphuric acid and the cost of manufacturing the soluble phosphates." 4

407

Treatment of Seed.-All seed oats should be treated for loose smut. (415) The same methods may be employed that are recommended for stinking smut on wheat, the formalin treatment being the most commonly used. (149) The solution

1 Ont. Agr. Col. and Expt. Farms Rpt. 1901, p. 99.

2 No. Dak. Bul. 10 (1893), p. 44, and Minn. Bul. 20 (1892), p. 35.

8 Iowa Bul. 45 (1900), p. 216.

4 H. J. Patterson, in article on Phosphates, Penn. State Dept. of Agr. Bul. 94.

may be sprinkled over the oats, the grain being stirred mean while, when one gallon of the solution will be sufficient for four bushels of oats; or the oats may be placed in gunny sacks and submerged in the liquid for ten minutes. The sacks are then allowed to drain for several minutes, when the oats are spread out to dry. In this case more liquid will be required.

408. Rate of Seeding.-The rate is not materially modified by the thickness of seeding within certain limits. The oat plant, like the wheat plant, has the ability to adapt itself to its surroundings, so that where it is thinly planted it stools more than where thickly planted. On some soils, at least, the thinly sown oats are later in maturing, and the proportion of straw is greater. No definite rule can be laid down, but sowing from two to three bushels, according to fertility of soil, preparation of seed bed, manner of seeding and size of seed may be taken as a safe guide for spring sowing in Northern States. The number of seeds in a pound of oats has been found to vary with different varieties from about 11,000 to about 30,000. The following table shows the rate of seeding per acre which gave the most satisfactory results at the several stations indicated:

409. Time of Sowing in Southern States.—In sowing winter varieties in the Southern States the best results are usually obtained by sowing between October 1st and November 15th. Not infrequently, however, the seeding is delayed until December. In the South the so-called spring seeding may take place in January, February and March, according to location, February being generally best.

"The rule of sowing in the 'twelve' days following Christmas day never had any basis in sound reason, and it is believed to be about the most inauspicious time that could be hit upon, it being generally the very coldest period of winter." 1

It is believed to be good practice to reserve a few acres for spring seeding in case the fall sown oats are winter killed. If not winter killed this smaller area is sown to a spring variety; if winter killed the larger area is sown to a spring variety and the smaller area to a winter variety in order to secure seed again.

410. Time of Sowing in Northern States. Since oats require a moist, cool climate for their best development, they should be sown as early in the spring as possible. Experiments indicate that there is a marked decrease both in yield and the weight per bushel when the seeding is delayed. With maize the time

1 Ga. Bul. 44, p. 10.

of planting, within four or five weeks during any season, is not especially important. Such a difference in time of sowing oats may make the difference between success and failure. The table on page 303 shows the best dates as determined at the stations indicated, as well as indicating the period of the tests.

411. Depth of Sowing.-The depth of sowing between one to four inches does not materially influence the yield, although the best results have been obtained with sowing from one to two inches, as shown in the following table:

Wheat roots, showing that the depth of the permanent roots is not influenced by the depth of seeding. In the plants on the left

the permanent roots will arise at the point

The same principles apply

here as with maize and wheat. (130, 300)

412. Methods of Sowing. Unless the land is plowed, oats must, of course, be sown broadcast. On plowed land the practice is divided, but broadcasting is probably the most general, the controlling reason being that they can be somewhat more cheaply sown in this way than if the drill is used. The experimental evidence does not clearly indicate any increase in yield from either method, much ap

where the culm enlarges. (About one- parently depending upon soil, season, preparation of seed bed,

fourth natural size.)

depth of seeding, and quantity of seed used. If drouth prevails

at or just after seeding, or soil is of a character to suffer from dry weather, drilling would be preferred. If drilling is accompanied by better preparation of seed bed, it is to be preferred. Broadcasting requires more seed, perhaps a half bushel to the acre more, much depending upon the preparation of the seed bed. The same seeding machinery described for sowing wheat may be used for oats. (135) The broadcast seeder attached to the end gate of a wagon is widely used where oats follow maize without plowing. Kansas Station found during seven years an average of twenty-six bushels by broadcasting and thirty bushels by drilling. Slightly better results have been obtained by using the shoe drill with press wheels than by the shoe drill without press wheel or by hoe drill.'

Broadcast seeder attached to the end gate

of farm wagon and driven by rear wheel. Drawing on the right shows hopper with grass seed attachment.

413. Method of Fall Sowing.-The Georgia Station recommends the following method to prevent winter killing:

"On the station farm we have found, even when the drills were laid two feet or one and a half feet apart, using a common scooter plow, or, better, a single-row fer

larger portion of the fall-sown area in drills eighteen to twenty-four inches apart, latterly using a Gantt fertilizer distributer.

1 Kan. Bul. 74, p. 200.

This sows but one row at a