OATS IN THE GEE AT PLAINS AREA. 13 



When the cost of production is taken into consideration, as in the 

 last part of Table V, it is seen that the less expensive methods are 

 more profitable. This is a direct result of the lack of differences in 

 crop values as great as the differences in cost of production. Great 

 freedom is offered the farmer in the choice of the place he will give 

 oats in his cropping system and in the manner in which he will pre- 

 pare the land for the crop. 



HUNTLEY FIELD STATION. 



The field station at Huntley, Mont., is located in the valley of the 

 Yellowstone River, just below the first bench. The soil is a heavy 

 gumbo to a depth of about 8 feet. Underlying the soil is a consider- 

 able depth of freely drained gravel. This soil carries a large supply 

 of available water and allows deep feeding of the crop. Consequently, 

 it is possible to store in it a maximum quantity of water that can be 

 recovered by the crop. 



Data of only two years are available from the Huntley station. 

 These both have been years of heavy production. The results of two 

 years are not sufficient evidence on which to draw conclusions, but 

 may be of value as indicators. The extreme range by different prepa- 

 rations in the average of the two years has been from 41.2 bushels 

 on fall-plowed oat ground to 62.1 bushels after peas as green manure. 



In both years the yield by both spring and fall plowing has been 

 heavier on wheat stubble than on oat stubble. In both years the 

 yield has been heavier by spring plowing than by fall plowing of 

 either wheat or oat stubble. 



As compared with similar oat stubble fall plowed, there has been a 

 small increase in yields each year as a result of subsoiling. The aver- 

 age of this increase has been 4.9 bushels per acre. But a still further 

 increase of 1.1 bushels per acre has resulted from furrowing with a 

 lister and leaving the ground rough through the winter instead of 

 plowing. The yields following corn have averaged heavier than those 

 following small grain, but not as heavy as those following either 

 summer tillage or green manure. Disking corn ground has been as 

 good a preparation as plowing it. The highest average yields have 

 been obtained by summer tillage and green manure. 



A profit has been realized from the production of the crop by all 

 the methods under trial. The smallest profit, $3.22 per acre, has 

 been by the most expensive method, green manuring. The largest 

 profit, $11.40 per acre, has been by the least expensive method, disking 

 corn ground. Spring plowing and listing are of about equal rank, 

 with profits of nearly $9 per acre. Fall plowing, subsoiling, and 

 summer tillage have each given an annual profit of about $7 per acre. 



