28 BRIGGS' SYSTEM OF 



germinate, heat, which will be in three or four days if 

 in a moderate warm place. Always keep covered with 

 an old bag and stir and sprinkle with water once daily. 

 After they become a mass of roots turn into a box 

 holding about five pails. The oats should not be over 

 three or four inches thick in the box This must also 

 have a couple of one-half inch holes in bottom so water 

 will quickly drain off when you wet them each day. 

 They will grow very rapidly when they begin to sprout 

 and are at their best for feeding when sprouts are one 

 inch to one and a half inches long, and one bushel will 

 make four to five bushels if oats are good and grow as 

 they should. Always keep oats covered with a heavy 

 bag or old blankets to keep them warm, for they will 

 grow much faster, and your sprouts will remain white 

 and very crisp. By feeding when sprouts only one- 

 half to one inch long you not only get the value 

 of your oats, but they also take the place of green feed, 

 and there is nothing I know of which will start hens 

 laying so quickly and will make so many eggs during the 

 year. Give your layers twice a day all they will take. 



For growing young chicks there is nothing like them. 

 Give your little chicks all they will eat three times a day 

 after they are a week old. They are at their best for 

 little chicks when sprouts are one-half inch long. 



If possible always grow them in a cellar, but in warm 

 weather they can be grown under open sheds, under 

 trees or north side of buildings. They grow at their best 

 in a temperature of 50°. 



Now for a large plant where you must grow them 

 in large quantities you will find a butter tub a fine 

 thing to soak them in. They can generally be gotten 

 at a grocery store for five cents each. You fill your 

 tub three-quarters full of oats and fill up with water, 

 let them soak five to ten hours, then turn in a barrel 

 that you have put a couple one-half inch holes in so 



