72 THE Hx\NDBOOK FOR PRACTICAL FARMERS 



are less exacting in regard to soil preparation and respond less 

 to fertilizers and manure. On account of oats being a coarse 

 feeder, its soil ada^^tations are wider than the other cereals. 

 It •\vill do well on any fairly productive soil so long as the cli- 

 matic factors are favorble. The richest soils and soils high in 

 nitrogen often produce too rank a growth in oats, causing lodg- 

 ing and a consequent loss. So far as fertilizers for oats are 

 concerned, ordinaril)^, it does not pay as high returns as when 

 applied to other grains. In a rotation including oats and wheat, 

 the fertilizer better be added to the wheat. Fertilizers high in 

 potash (four-six-six) have given very good results in the north- 

 eastern states when used with oats. 



Generally less preparation of the seed bed has been practiced 

 for oats than for the other cereals. In fact, experiments have 

 shown that on soil in good ph^^sical condition, plowing and har- 

 rowing have given little increase over disking. It is, however, 

 better to plow the heavy clay soils of the eastern United States, 

 either in the fall or very early spring, than to try to prepare the 

 seed bed by disking, 



Time of seeding oats. — Early seeding in the case of oats is 

 very necessary. This is important because the crop is exacting 

 in its climatic requirements, growing to perfection only in a 

 cool, moist condition. This is best fulfilled before the dry 

 weather of mid-summer. Seeding in the south begins in Febru- 

 ary and is not completed in the north until May, but ordinarily 

 oats should be seeded as soon as the land ,can be prepared. 

 Slight freezes after seeding do little or no injury. 



Rate of seeding oats. — The rate of seeding oats varies from 

 eight to ten pecks, but ordinarily there is little or no increase 

 above ten pecks. The heavier rate is better on a cold, wet soil 

 or on a soil low in fertility where abundant tillering does not 

 occur, while eight pecks are sufficient on a warm, well-drained, 

 fertile soil, where all plants tend to tiller. 



The manner and depth of seeding oats are same as for wheat. 



Seed treatment for snrnt. — AAHiere the seed oats is unknown 

 or where smut is known to be present, treatment of the seed to 

 kill the smut spores is very profitable. This can easily be done 

 by dissolving one pound of commercial formalin in forty gallons 

 of water and sprinkling this solution over the seed oats at the 

 rate of one gallon per bushel. The seed should be turned as the 

 solution is added so that all seed will be wet. After the applica- 

 tion, the seed should be piled up and covered with bags for 

 several hours, then spread out to dry. This can be done any 



