OATS IlsT THE GREAT PLAIN'S AREA. 41 



At Akron, Colo., and at all North Dakota and Montana stations fall 

 plowing showed a profit. At Scottsbluff the nominal profits from 

 spring plowing were converted to nominal losses by fall plowing. At 

 the other stations the losses by the two methods were about the same. 



The cost of green manuring was so high that at only two stations, 

 Judith Basin and Huntley, did it show a profit. At these stations the 

 profits were smaller than those by any other method. At all other 

 stations it either converted the profit of other methods into a loss or 

 was productive of the greatest loss of any method. In probably only 

 two or three cases has the loss been small enough to make it possible 

 to change it to a profit by distributing a part of the cost to following 

 crops. 



Summer tillage as here figured shows a profit at six stations and 

 a loss at eight. In two cases the profits are nominal, i. e., they are 

 so small that changes in the average yields by extension of the rec- 

 ord might change their position. In no case was the profit as here 

 figured as great as by some other method. Except at Dalhart and 

 Garden City, the average losses at those stations showing a loss have 

 ranged from $1.62 to $3.81. Considering the fact shown in the 

 details from the separate field stations, it seems that as summer 

 tillage sometimes produced a crop when other methods failed it 

 might have a place in the production of oats, even though some- 

 what greater net profits may be obtained in the average of a series 

 of years by other methods. Sureness of production, especially of 

 feed crops, is as important as the amount of net profit per acre, 

 if not more important. 



A reference to the companion publication on spring wheat (Bulle- 

 tin 214 of the Department series) will show that the relative response 

 of oats to summer tillage is somewhat greater than that of spring 



wheat. 



CONCLUSIONS. 



(1) The relatively poor adaptation of oats to the southern section 

 of the Great Plains can not be overcome by cultivation. 



(2) Seasonal conditions cause much wider variations in yields than 

 can be caused by differences in cultivation. 



(3) When the results of a series of years are averaged, as must be 

 done in a continuous agriculture, the great differences which are 

 obtained only in exceptional years tend to be much reduced. 



(4) At stations north of Hays, spring plowing has been generally 

 more productive of oats than fall plowing. At Hays and the stations 

 south of it fall plowing has been in about an equal degree better than 

 spring plowing. 



(5) At Garden City and all stations north of North Platte, disking 

 corn ground has been productive of higher average yields of oats 



