150 Effective Farming 



results are obtained by seeding them with a grain drill, as there 

 is likely to be a more uniform stand and a saving of seed. 



What is known as the open-furrow method of planting oats 

 is used in some sections of the South to prevent winter-killing 

 of the plants. One practice consists in sowing the seeds in 

 the bottom of furrows eighteen to twenty-four inches apart 

 made by a single shovel plow. A one-horse planter is used 

 to drop the seed, which then grow at the bottom of the furrow 

 where they are protected from the heaving of the ground which 

 so often occurs in the South, especially on wet soils. Another 

 practice is to use a special drill made for sowing between rows 

 of standing crops. These implements plant three furrows at 

 a time and are just wide enough to go between the cotton 

 rows. The seed is planted in the standing cotton in the autumn. 



The average acre-rate of seeding for oats is eight or nine 

 pecks, but often as low as six pecks or as high as ten or twelve 

 pecks are sown. Varieties with large kernels should be sown 

 more thickly than those with small kernels. Oats tiller freely 

 and for this reason a thin seeding often gives good results. 



74. Harvesting of oats. Usually oats are cut with a grain- 

 binder. If the grain is ripe or in the hard-dough stage, the 

 bundles may be placed in round shocks. These should be 

 capped to protect the grain from the weather. If the grain is 

 green or many weeds are bound into the bundles, they should 

 be placed in long shocks so that air and sunshine can penetrate. 

 The grain should be dry when threshed ; it threshes better 

 and there is less danger of heating and molding. 



75. Enemies of oats. The weeds that are the most trouble- 

 some in the oat fields are wild mustard and chess. The method 

 of combating these in oats is the same as in wheat. The 

 principal insect enemies of oats are chinch-bugs and army- 

 worms. The method of control of these pests has been dis- 

 cussed elsewhere. Rust attacks oats and in some sections 

 does considerable damage in warm seasons. Rust-proof vari- 

 eties of oats should be used in regions where rust is likely to 



