THE OAT CROP. 155 



panions, the weeds. The drill, as before mentioned, is far 

 more extensively used in the south than in the north ; its 

 use, however, there is rapidly increasing, and wherever it 

 has been introduced, its advantage to the oat crop has 

 been fully sustained. 



After the seed has been satisfactorily got in, very little 

 is required to be done, save, perhaps, if the weather per- 

 mits the use of the horse-hoe, to check the growth of the 

 weeds, by hoeing as late as possible ; or even this may be 

 effected by giving the land a double turn with the seed- 

 harrows, should it be too moist to admit of the hoe. The 

 same processes of germination, brairding, and speaning, or 

 weaning, take place as have been already described in 

 regard to wheat and barley ; and the same phases in the 

 life of the plant flowering and maturity occur at about 

 the same periods. 



In regard to the time of harvesting oats there is less 

 difference of opinion than with the other grain crops, the 

 opinion being pretty general, that they should be cut as 

 soon as the slightest change shows itself in the colour of 

 the straw immediately underneath the panicle, no matter 

 how green the stem may be, and not be allowed to stand 

 on the ground until they are dead ripe, as in that condition 

 they cannot be cut or moved without separating a large 

 portion of the grain. When cut early they require 

 a little longer in the stook, where the last process of 

 maturation (ripening) is as perfectly carried on as if 

 they were standing uncut in the soil where they had 

 grown. The grain is quite matured, but the chaff hav- 

 ing been cut before it was fully ripe and dry, adheres 

 to it, and retains it in the ear more firmly, and thus 

 lessens the chances of "shelling out" as it is being carted 

 and stacked. 



The different modes of cutting grain have already been 

 described/ The sickle still holds its ground in most places; 



