30 BULLETIN 218, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



When the value of the average crop is studied in connection with 

 the cost of its production, as in the last part of Table XIV, less differ- 

 ence is perhaps found in the resulting profits or losses than in the 

 yields themselves. To this statement should be excepted green 

 manuring, which has not been productive of increases in yields at 

 all commensurate with their cost. The use of this method has been 

 responsible for an average loss of $8.39 per acre. 



Profits and losses by all other methods come within a range of 

 about $2 per acre. These differences are not sufficient to warrant 

 strong recommendation of any particular method as essentially better 

 than others. The indications of the evidence at hand are that the 

 growth of oats will about pay for the use of land and for labor and 

 other expenses incurred in their growth. 



HAYS FIELD STATION. 



The soil on which the experimental work has been conducted at 

 the station at Hays, Kans., is a heavy silt loam. It carries a large 

 supply of water available to a crop. Penetration to the lower depth, 

 however, is slow. The very compact zone in the third foot offers 

 marked resistance both to the downward passage of water and to 

 the development of roots. While the evidence is not as complete 

 as might be desired, it appears that the proportion of water that can 

 be stored in this soil is somewhat above the average. 



The work at Hays was started in 1906. The crop that year was 

 raised on land uniform for all plats. The crop of 1907 was largely 

 destroyed by the green bug (spring-grain aphis); hence, it is not 

 included in the table. The crop of 1909 was entirely destroyed by 

 hail and is not included in computing average yields. Its inclusion 

 would only serve to reduce the averages, and reduce the differences 

 obtained from cultural conditions in other years. The crop of 1911 

 is included in computing the averages as its failure was due to drought. 

 Oats after wheat on both fall-plowed and spring-plowed land have 

 been better than where oats followed oats. 



Fall plowing of both wheat and oat stubble has been better for the 

 production of oats than spring plowing of similar stubble. 



The yields given for oats following sod land, both brome-grass and 

 alfalfa, are comparatively high. They are, however, misleading and 

 should not be given weight as a measure of the producing value of sod 

 at this station, as there never has been in this work a heavy or well- 

 established sod to break up. 



The plat subsoiled and the one listed have both been continuously 

 cropped to oats. They should be compared directly with the oats 

 following oats on fall-plowed land. While there is little difference 

 between the results of either subsoiling or listing, both have produced 

 higher yields than plowing in either the fall or spring. 



