DEPTH OF SOWING 163 



and Maine, sowing is much later in the latter States, owing to the 

 later thawing out of frost in spring and heavy wet soil which must 

 be given time to dry before plowing. 



Rate of Seeding. Numerous long-time experiments have been 

 made to determine the best rate of seeding oats. Results practically 

 agree on eight to ten pecks giving highest net returns. Where drill- 

 ing and broadcast sowing have been compared, usually about two 

 pecks more per acre are required when sown broadcast. 



The rate of seeding is influenced by the tendency to tiller in dif- 

 ferent soils and the amount of rainfall. In dry-farming regions and 

 under irrigation, five to six pecks are sown. The warm, dry soils 

 favor tillering (see p. 150). The other extreme is found in Scot- 

 land where oats seldom tiller, and six bushels per acre are sown. On 

 many cold or heavy soils three to four bushels are sown. 



Method of Sowing. In sowing seed there are two important 

 considerations, to distribute the seed evenly and at the proper depth. 

 This can best be accomplished by use of a grain drill. By very 

 careful work, good, uniform stands will be secured by broadcasting, 

 though it usually takes one or two pecks more seed per acre. When 

 this is accomplished, the broadcast will usually yield as well as 

 drilled. This was demonstrated at the Nebraska Station during a 

 test for four years, where the yields were almost the same. Similar 

 results were secured at Ohio. At Kansas, Illinois, and Iowa better 

 results in several tests were secured by drilling, the increase usually 

 amounting to two to six bushels per acre. Under average farm con- 

 ditions, there is no doubt that drilling is the most practical method 

 of securing a good stand. 



Depth of Sowing. Oats are sown very early in the spring when 

 the soil is likely to be cold and, also, well supplied with moisture. 

 There is always danger that seeds, more than one inch deep at this 

 time of year, will rot or give poor, weak plants. In a number of ex- 

 periments where oats have been planted at depths ranging from one 

 to four inches, the one-inch depth has given best results. This 

 is shown in the following data from the Ohio Station. 8 



'Ohio Bulletin 1S8, 51. 



