176 



ARID AGRICULTURE. 



OATS 



VARIETIES 

 OF OATS 



ing up. Before the farmer knows it his barley 

 field may become too dry and subsequent irriga- 

 tion does not make it recover as it will oats or 

 wheat. Barley soil should be prepared in the 

 fall or irrigated before plowing in the spring. 

 The soil should be watched and if getting dry, 

 even when the plants are very small, irrigation 

 should begin. If the plants are kept moist until 

 the barley is well headed, irrigation may stop 

 and a good crop will be secured. Barley may be 

 planted on new soils or better, on soils which 

 have been in rotation, following potatoes, peas 

 or alfalfa. 



Oats are the first and must general crop 

 raised by the arid farmer. Farmers know more, 

 perhaps, about this grain than any other. Oats 

 are one of the best crops to raise on sod. They 

 always find home use as feed for teams or other 

 stock, and there is usually a good market for the 

 surplus. Oat culture is as simple and easy as 

 that of any of the grains. Early varieties will 

 mature with comparatively little moisture, but 

 they respond to frequent irrigation and much 

 water better than other grains. Oats on sod land 

 may be irrigated every week or two and when 

 they are high enough to begin to shoot, they 

 should be thoroughly soaked by a complete irri- 

 gation. 



Perhaps the best drouth resistant variety for 

 general cultivation is the Kherson or the Swed- 



