WHEAT CULTURE. 251 



The clods on the surface harbour many a wild oat seed. It is probable 

 that in a dirty paddock there is more than sufficient in these to re-seed 

 it. Strenuous efforts may be made with the ploughs, harrows, and cultivators 

 tu encourage germination ; hut all the time the clods- are harbouring the seed. 

 The smallest of them is big enough to hold a grain. They never become 

 rin list, and thus the seed is well protected. 



We can now see from this reasoning that to free a paddock from wild 

 oats — 



(1) The right time must be selected; 



(2) The land must be well worked; 

 (•">) The clods must be all broken ; 



(•4) The soil must be kept moist from the surface downw r ards as long as 

 possible. 



To bring about germination, in fact, a little more care, rather than less, 

 must be used than is the case with other seed ; the contrary is usually the 

 case — hence many failures. 



The time to commence the work of cleaning a paddock coincides with that 

 of preparation for wheat. It should be so arranged that the land will be in 

 good order about May, when the actual work of fitting the land for the 

 germination of the seed should commence. Since, however, the preparation 

 for wheat generally monopolises attention at this time the working of 

 land to destroy oats is delayed. If it be taken in hand as soon as the 

 sowing is over, it can, provided the season is propitious, be accomplished 

 before the season is too far advanced. 



Immediately sowing is finished, the dirty land should be well ploughed and 

 thoroughly harrowed — the harrowing is most important, as it helps to make 

 the soil tine, and leaves it in such a condition that it retains the moisture. 

 Ploughing alone is not sufficient ; the land is left loose and soon dries out. 

 The farmer must remember that he is dealing with seed, although he has 

 done no sowing, and the same attention must be given as when wheat is sown. 

 No one ever dreams of merely ploughing his wheat in and leaving it at that, 

 and there is no earthly reason why it should be sufficient to do so when it is 

 required to make oats grow. The harrow must be used to make the ground 

 fine and firm about the seed. If the ground is dry when it is ploughed, it is 

 practically useless to harrow ; the work should be done when the soil is moist. 

 The paddock ought to be ploughed in readiness, and harrowed immediately 

 after rain. 



When wild oats are being dealt with, harrowing, however, is not suffi- 

 cient ; the roller must be used also. It was pointed out above that the soil must 

 be kept moist from the surface dowmyards to promote germination. This is 

 one of the essential conditions, and its maintenance depends chiefly upon the 

 use of the roller. If the land is harrowed and left rough, a loose, dry layer 

 of earth soon forms at the surface. The layer may be 2 or 3 inches deep. 

 The ■ large number of seeds lying in it do not germinate, as moisture 

 is not in contact with them long enough. Observations will always show 

 that the young oat plants found amongst the wheat crops have come from 

 seed buried deeply — the soil there is firm and moist. 



Further, seed of any kind will always germinate best in a fine soil. Wild 

 oats are never found to be as troublesome in the fine sandy loams as they are 

 in the clay soils, which are often cloddy. The tine particles of such soils 

 wrap around the seeds and hold the moisture to them closely. 



