OATS, BARLEY AND RYE 213 



spread out in a thin layer on a clean floor and the solution applied with 

 a sprinkling can. Several thin layers of oats may be placed one on top 

 of another, and each sprinkled in this way, after which the whole pile 

 should be thoroughly stirred, shoveled into a compact heap, covered with 

 a wet blanket and allowed to remain for twelve hours. The blanket 

 should then be removed and the oats spread out and occasionally stirred 

 until thoroughly dry. 



Preparation of the Seed-Bed. — A large portion of the oats grown in 

 the corn belt are seeded on corn ground without any preparation. The 

 ground is disked and harrowed, or sometimes cultivated once or twice 

 after seeding the oats. It is much better to double disk and harrow once 

 before seeding. The better preparation in this way will usually more 

 than pay for the increased expense. In some localities shallow plowing 

 for oats may prove to be the best method of preparing the seed-bed. When 

 seeded on corn land the stalks should be broken down. This is most 

 easily accomplished by dragging a heavy pole or iron rail broadside across 

 the field on a frosty morning when the ground is frozen. A mellow, 

 loose surface soil with a firm subsoil is best for oats. This character of 

 seed-bed is secured on corn land by the methods above described. 



Fertilizers and Manures for Oats. — Over most of the spring oat 

 region oats are grown without the direct application of either manure 

 or fertilizers. When soils call for manure or fertilizers it is best to apply 

 them to the crop preceding oats. In this way the oats receive only the 

 residual effect, but this generally meets the needs of the crop. This avoids 

 the danger of too rank a growth of straw that is likely to cause oats to 

 lodge. Oats that lodge badly are not only difficult to harvest, but generally 

 cause a failure of grass and clover seeded with them and give rise to a 

 reduced yield of grain. On soil that is in a low state of fertility, or which 

 receives no manure or fertilizer for the preceding crop, rather light 

 applications of either manure or a complete fertilizer may be applied for 

 oats with profit. Experiments show that phosphorus is the most impor- 

 tant ingredient to be applied. Some nitrogen, preferably in an immedi- 

 ately available form, is generally advisable. Nitrate of soda at the rate 

 of 75 to 100 pounds per acre will generally fully meet the needs for nitrogen. 



The fertility removed bj r oats is given in Table VII in the appendix. 



Time, Rate and Manner of Seeding. — The time of seeding will vary 

 with the season and locality, but generally should be as early in the 

 spring as soil conditions will permit the preparation of the seed-bed. 

 Throughout a considerable part of the oat region, oats are seeded during 

 April. Those seeded during the first half of this month are found to give 

 larger yields than those seeded during the last half. In the southern part 

 of the district, seeding in March usually gives good results, and in the 

 Southern states seeding may take place much earlier. Oats do best if 

 they can make the major portion of their growth during the cool part of 

 the season. They are often injured by a short hot spell as they near 



