OATS 97 



ter the seed by hand from a sack slung over the shoulder. 

 Machines for seeding have been devised which can be at- 

 tached to the end-gate of a wagon. The seeder is driven 

 by one of the rear wheels of the wagon by means of a 

 sprocket and chain. 



Drilling has been found to result in a larger yield than 

 broadcast seeding. The drill plants the seed uniformly over 

 the field and covers it well. The drilled crop comes up 

 more evenly, and ripens more nearly at the same time than 

 that from broadcast sowing. Less seed is required \vhen 

 the planting is done with the drill, since practically all the 

 seed is covered and given a chance to grow. This is im- 

 possible with broadcast seeding. 



A mistake is often made in planting oats too deep. The 

 ground is usually moist when the planting is done, and depth 

 is not required to secure moisture to start growth. Many 

 agricultural experiment stations have tested different depths 

 of planting, and recommend about one inch as the best 

 depth for most regions. 



Preparing the seed. Seed oats should never be taken 

 directly from the bin and sown, no matter how promising 

 the grain looks. For oats ordinarily contain more dirt, 

 weed seed and light grains than wheat. 



The seed should always be run through the fanning mill. 

 The current of air blows out the light grains and much of 

 the rubbish, and the smaller grains are removed by the 

 sieves. This process of cleaning should generally exclude 

 one-third or one-fourth of the oats run through the mill. 

 If the seed is very light a still larger proportion will need 

 to be rejected. 



Careful tests have shown that seed prepared in this 

 way will yield several bushels to the acre more than if 

 sown directly from the bin. Many of the light grains fail 



