16 FIELD OPERATIONS OF THE BUREAU OF SOILS, 1918. 



No ^viIlte^ oats are grown in this county. Spring oats are generally- 

 sown on corn stubble without any preparation of the land before 

 seeding. A small acreage is drilled in, but most of the crop is broad- 

 casted with an end-gate seeder at the rate of 3 bushels per acre. Seed- 

 ing generally takes place between March 25 and April 15. After 

 sowing, the land is double disked and harrowed. Most of the crop 

 is thrashed from the shock, probably not over 1 per cent being 

 stacked. Not over 5 per cent of the straw is baled, and little of this 

 is shipped out of the county. The greater part of the straw is used 

 for bedding and feed. 



Timothy and clover are customarily broadcasted after the disking 

 of oat fields, and before harrowing. Very little timothy and clover 

 is grown without a nurse crop. When oats are used as a nurse crop, 

 only 2 bushels, instead of the customary 3, are seeded per acre. The 

 rate of seeding for mixed timothy and clover is 6 pounds of timothy 

 and 8 pounds of clover per acre. Either medium-red or alsike clover 

 is grown. Grown separately, the rate of seeding is 12 to 14 pounds of 

 medium-red clover, 8 to 15 pounds of alsike clover, or 10 to 12 pounds 

 of timothy. Hay is not cut the first year, though sometimes a little 

 pasturage is obtained late in the fall. The next year one cutting 

 of red clover is obtained for hay, and a second lighter cutting for 

 hay or seed. With either alsike clover or timothy only one cutting 

 is obtained, which may be used for either hay or seed. Very little 

 alsike is hulled for seed, but about 2 per cent of the medium-red 

 clover and about 5 per cent of the timothy is thrashed. Of the total 

 clover crop, about 10 per cent is alsike, which is grown on the lower 

 wetter and more acid soils. Very little hay is baled. 



Winter wheat usually follows oats or winter wheat, more often the 

 former. The ground is plowed in the fall to a depth of 5 inches, 

 disked, lap disked, and harrowed. The seed is drilled in at the rate 

 of 5 to 6 pecks per acre between September 10 and October 10. 

 After September 25 danger from the Hessian fly is supposed to be 

 past. 



Rye is sown almost exclusively on sandy soils, generally following 

 oats or rye. The seed bed is prepared as for winter wheat but with 

 less disking and harrowing. The crop is seeded at the rate of 5 pecks 

 per acre between September 20 and October 20. Barley is seeded 

 about 10 days later than oats, as it is not as hardy. It is always 

 broadcasted, and is sown on land in corn the preceding year. Spring 

 wheat is seeded before oats and also on land last in corn, generally 

 between March 15 and April 5. 



Potatoes usually follow oats though sometimes corn. The crop is 

 in most cases followed by corn. The ground is usually fall plowed, 

 allowed to lie rough over winter, and in the spring disked, lap disked, 



