NITNH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART XII 685 
Oats grow best in a well prepared seed bed of three to four inches In 
depth on a rather compact foundation. This may be obtained on corn 
stalk ground, when the stalks are not too heavy, by using first the stalk 
cutter, then disc or corn plow, then harrow. If the stalks are heavy and 
tne ground weedy, first break, rake and burn the stalks and trash. 
It is not advisable to spring plow for oats, except when the land is 
uneven and poor; but if you do, work down well with disc and harrow. 
If sowed on fall plowed land, the plowing should be done early and 
about four inches deep. This needs no preparation, except harrowing. 
Oats should be sowed as early as the ground can be put in good phys- 
ical condition, but not earlier than the 20th of March, except in unusually 
forward seasons. Good crops have been raised when sown as late as the 
third week in April. 
The best results are obtained by using a single disc grain drill, set to 
plant the seed from two to two and one-half inches deep. Good results 
are also obtained by the broadcast disc seeder. In any case the seed must 
be evenly distributed and well covered. The weather permitting defer 
harrowing until the second or third day. 
In selecting seed oats choose those which show large, plumpy kernels 
when the hull is removed. Avoid thick, heavy hulled oats. I prefer white 
oats. 
The amount of seed per acre depends upon time and method of sowing 
and condition of the soil. When treated seed is sown with a drill, in 
good land, well prepared, in March or early April, seventy-five pounds per 
acre is sufficient. Late planting or poor soil requires more seed. In ex- 
treme cases as much as one hundred and twenty pounds may be used 
with profit. Less seed is required when drilled than when sown broad- 
cast. '" ' '^'^ 
The three great enemies of oats are smut, rust and heat. Smut can 
be positively prevented by the formaldehyde treatment. Rust may be 
lessened by choice of land, early sowing and early varieties of seed. 
Oats should not be sown on newly broken land, especially when highly 
nitrified by the use of clover, or rich in humus through heavy manuring, 
as the growth will be too luxuriant; the grain apt to lodge and more 
susceptible to rust. The land can scarcely be too rich in mineral matter. 
Avoid sowing oats where the land is sheltered on the west or south as 
an oat field needs what the orchardist calls "air-drainage." 
A temperature of around one-hundred degrees is very injurious to oats 
at any time after blossoming, which largely accounts for our light crops 
the last few years. For this reason also we advise early seeding and early 
varieties. For early varieties I prefer Kershon, Early Champion and 
Lincoln. For late varieties I prefer White Probstei and Big Four. There 
are other new varieties which are worthy of trial, but for the main crop 
select such as are known to give good results in the locality in which they 
are to be sown. Should the ground become crusted before the oats are 
three or four inches high break the crust by rolling, light harrowing or 
by using a Hallock weeder, which gives especially good results on drilled 
oats. 
