296 THE CEREALS IN AMERICA 



Where oats follow maize which has had an application of 

 stable manure and precede wheat which is to have an applica- 

 tion cf commercial fertilizers, ordinarily no soil amendment will 

 be required for oats. Where land is seeded to grass and clover 

 with oats, an application of commercial fertilizer may be desir- 

 able. Where commercial fertilizers are used, the kind, quantity 

 and method of application will be similar to that for wheat. 

 (122, 123) The relative importance of the several fertilizing 

 constituents is also similar. (121) The Georgia Station recom- 

 mends the following for Southern conditions : acid phosphate, 

 200 pounds; muriate of potash, fifty pounds; nitrate of soda, 

 twenty-five pounds; cotton seed meal, 200 pounds to be sown 

 with fall oats, and seventy-five pounds of nitrate of soda to be 

 applied in the spring.^ At the Pennsylvania Station during 

 twenty years lime increased the straw when used alone or in 

 connection with stable manure, but when used alone caused a 

 decrease in yield of grain.^ The Rhode Island Station found 

 a marked increase in yield of green fodder by the use of 

 lime.^ 



III. CULTURAL METHODS. 



398. Seed Bed. — It is not customary to prepare the seed bed 

 so deep for oats as for wheat, rye, barley or maize. In the 

 North Central States many acres are sown on maize land with- 

 out plowing. The oats are sown broadcast on the unprepared 

 land and covered with a maize cultivator (312) or disk harrow 

 (299) or similar instrument. Sometimes the unplowed land is 

 cultivated once before sowing the oats and then cultivated once 

 or twice afterwards. Good crops are grown in this way, as 

 shown in the table on page 297, but very much depends upon 

 the nature of the soil, and something upon the season : 



1 Ga. Bui. 44, p. 18. 



2 Penn. Rpt. 1902, p. 191. 

 8 R. I. Rpt. 1894, p. III. 



