636 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



AMOUNT OF OATS TO SOW PER ACRE. 



Farmers' Tribune. 



There is considerable difference of opinion among farmers as to the 

 amount of oats to sow to the acre in order to obtain the best results. 

 It is true that no set rule can be laid down as to the exact amount of 

 seed to sow for the reason that the quality of the seed, the manner in 

 which the seed bed has been prepared, and the fertility of the soil are 

 factors all of which have more or less influence on this 'question. We are 

 Inclined to think however, that it is a subject which might profitably 

 be studied by our experiment stations with a view of obtaining in- 

 formation on the effect of thick and thin seeding on the quality of the 

 straw and upon such other characteristics as go to make up a first-class 

 crop. 



Generally speaking, the less the amount of seed sown, the more the 

 plants tiller, and the greater the amount of seed sown the less the 

 tillering. In other words. Nature attempts to bring about a full stand. 

 Judging from the results obtained by the Garton Bros., of England, it 

 would appear that we are not sowing enough seed per acre in this 

 country. The Garton Bros, sow from four to five bushels of oats per 

 acre, and we understand that they claim to obtain a stiffer straw from 

 thick seeding, their theory being that plants which come direct from 

 seeds produce a stiffer straw than suckers or tillers. Our experiment 

 stations have investigated this question to some extent with some of 

 the other grains but it appears to us that it has not been so fully in- 

 vestigated in the case of oats as the importance of the subject seems 

 to warrant. 



Mr. C. H. Fuller, a farmer at Ottosen, Iowa, is a believer in thick 

 seeding of oats. He has done a little experimenting along this line on his 

 own hook, and in a recent letter sends us the following information for 

 the benefit of our readers: A few years ago, my brother bought a farm 

 adjoining mine. He moved to this county (Humboldt) from the eastern 

 part of the state, and clainmed that 2.5 bushels of seed was enough for 

 an acre of oats. I said 'sow more' because it had been my experience 

 that heavier seeding gave a better yield. Our conversation resulted in 

 making a test of the matter. We laid off a piece of uniform ground on 

 my brother's farm and seeded three strips of oats along side of each 

 other. This resulted in obtaining the following yields in the fall: With 

 two and one-half bushels of seed per acre, we received 35 bushels of 

 oats in the fall; with three bushels per acre, we obtained a yield of 49 

 bushels and with three and one-half bushels per acre, a yield of 65 

 bushels. This experiment was repeated the following year and the results 

 were: From two and one half bushels of seed per acre, a crop of 32.5 

 bushels was harvested; from three bushels per acre, 45 bushels was har- 



