188 THE PEOPLE'S FARM AND STOCK CYCLOPEDIA. 



for working stock, or growing animals possessing more of the 

 flesh formers and less of the fat producing elements. It also 

 gives a pleasant variety of food for our domestic animals. 



Oats can be grown on most soils adapted to corn and wheat. 

 Early sowing gives the best results, and they should be put in 

 as soon as the land can be worked. I have sown oats in Feb- 

 ruary, when the March following gave a temperature of eight 

 degrees, and nearly the entire month was cold and snowy; but 

 with the first warm days of April, and before the land was dry 

 enough to work, these early sown oats were up and made an 

 excellent crop. The amount of seed used varies from two to 

 four bushels per acre; but I regard the smaller quantity as 

 sufficient if the ground is in good order. They can be sown 

 with the wheat drill; but I decidedly prefer sowing broadcast, 

 as when drilled the weeds are liable to start between the 

 drill rows. 



If oats are to follow corn, do not plow the land, and if to 

 be sown on wheat stubble, plow in the fall. Then in the spring 

 work the surface mellow to the depth of three inches, and finish 

 with the plank drag, and you will have the best possible seed 

 bed both for oats and grass. If your land is level, the oats may 

 be sown before any work is done ; but if it is uneven, give it one 

 working before sowing. The Randall 'harrow is the best imple- 

 ment I ever used for this purpose; but a good seed bed can be 

 made by the use of the double or single cultivators, and by 

 cross-harrowing with a heavy harrow, always finishing with the 

 plank drag. 



The advantages of this plan are, 1st, that it is rapid. I can, 

 with a Randall harrow and plank drag, put in well from three 

 to four acres a day with one team, while, if the land must be 

 plowed, it would take more than two days. 2d. You can work 

 the surface of a field a day or two sooner than you can break 

 it, as it is dryer at the surface than a few inches lower. 3d. 

 And most important of all, it gives a better start and crop than 

 to break the land. Probably my statement will be received with 

 incredulity by many of our readers, and it is possible that the 

 same results would not follow on all soils ; but it is a matter that 



