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be grown on all kinds of soil, light and heavy, rocky and 

 calcareous, the best result of course being obtained from 

 rich friable loam, somewhat lighter than typical wheat land. 

 The range of temperature at which oats grow properly is 

 greater than in the case of wheat or rice. 



326. As soon as the rains have stopped in September or 

 October, the land should be ploughed and cross-ploughed and 

 bakhared, then harrowed and rolled before drilling. Rotten 

 cowdung, 150 maunds per acre, applied on the land at the 

 time of cultivation and \ maund or 30 seers of saltpetre top- 

 dressed when the seedlings are about 6 feet high, give the 

 best result. 50 Ibs. of seed (which is lighter than wheat 

 seed) is ample per acre. After drilling the seed, a light 

 wooden roller should be passed to bury the seed and give 

 compactness to the soil. Seed should be pickled as usual before 

 sowing. One watering at the time of applying the saltpetre 

 in solution is necessary. If the crop looks vigorous and if 

 the land is not very harsh and dry no other watering will be 

 required. One hand-hoeing and one wheel-hoeing with the 

 Planet Jr. American hoe, should be sufficient. 



327. The harvesting of oats requires special care, as it 

 should be done when the grains are not fully ripe and the 

 straw is still somewhat green. Harvested late, the grains 

 shed and the straw loses in feeding value. Oat-straw is 

 more nutritious than rice or wheat straw. An acre should 

 yield 20 maunds of grain and 30 maunds of straw cultivated 

 as above. 



Oats are sometimes grown by irrigation to supply green 

 fodder e. g.> at the Hissar Government Cattle Farm, where 

 three cuttings of the green fodder are taken, and the fourth 

 cutting left to bear a thin crop of grain. 



