Eradication of the Wild Oat. 187 



The watercourses also carry down the seeds 

 of wild oats from higher levels, and some 

 seeds are brought into new localities by 

 thrashing machines. On the farm it is also 

 further distributed by being carried in the 

 droppings of animals. 



DarneL and cheat are annual weedy 

 grasses which give much trouble in some 

 sections. They can be eradicated by the 

 means here recommended for the wild oat. 



Modes of Eradication. 



The following are the modes of eradica- 

 tion that have been found most successful 

 in dealing with wild oats: 



/. After-harvest and autumn cultivation, 

 follozved by a cultivated crop. In fields 

 which have borne grain crops, plow the 

 land just as soon as this can be done, start- 

 ing the process even before the shocks of 

 grain have been removed from the fields — 

 the reason for this early plowing being that 

 many of the wild oat seeds which have been 

 recently shed upon the ground may at this 

 time be induced to germinate, whereas they 

 coujd not easily be induced to germinate 

 later on. Plow a second tirne, and then 

 cultivate or harrow the land occasionally, 



