RESULTS FROM GRAIN CROPS. 187 
clay at from 6 inches to 2 feet deep. This held the moisture, 
and long straw was formed, with thick stools. The later 
rains matured a good crop of oats, averaging 38 bushels. 
Upon the other fields, the clay lay beyond the reach of the 
roots, and thin stools and short straw resulted, the yield 
being about 20 bushels per acre, much of which was lost 
from inability to shock it well enough to protect from con- 
stant rain. The season of 1901 was very favorable for 
growth and very thick and tall straw was formed. This 
was the year of the memorable hot spell. The hot weather 
shriveled the seeds as they were filling, and reduced a yield 
which promised seventy bushels, down to 25 bushels per 
acre. The rust aided some in producing this result, as this 
field was low lying. A much poorer field on higher ground, 
which ripened a week sooner, gave 39 bushels per acre. 
The time to sow oats in this latitude is much discussed. 
It is safe to say that late sown oats on spring plowing will 
never do as well as early sown on fall plowing, in a dry sea- 
son. In 1902 there was plenty of moisture, and the weather 
while the heads were filling was cold and cloudy, prolonging 
the ripening for over a week. Under these conditions oats 
sown on May 12th gave 50.6 bushels while those sown 
April 18th yielded but 39.8 bushels. In an ordinary season, 
with dry weather at harvest, the chances are all in favor of 
earlysowing. The grain sown in 1901 on April 25 produced 
37.2 bushels, while that sown May 9th gave but 22.8 
bushels. The difference in time of ripening allowed the heat 
and rust to affect the later sown grain, while the early sown 
escaped. 
To test the effect upon the yield of oats, by changing seed 
from one locality to another, an experiment is being carried 
on with the Experiment Station at St. Anthony Park near 
St. Paul. The same variety which is being grown here con- 
tinuously is also exchanged every year between the two 
farms, and a third sample is grown three years at each farm 
in succession. The experiment has run for four years. So 
far the grain sent here from the other farm has out-yielded 
the home grown plot an average of 7.9 bushels, the yields 
being 33.2 bushels, and 41.1 bushels respectively for an 
average of three years. 
