Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1893-07-01
THE FARM AND HOME.
RESULTS OF FIELD ExPERI-
mENTS WITH OATS.
Au Average Weld Of Finy Bushels an
Acre-Sulphur and fieks--sait for
Asparagus - Farm Notes
and Home Hints
Fiela E,perLmrnt. Wa 90.

Fiela Experiments with Oats
The details Of field experiments
with oats are given in Bulletin - Of
the agricultural experiment station
OF the university OF Illinois al Cham
paign The experiments 81 1892
were made on fertile. dark-colored
prairie soil. The following are some
of the results Of the experiments:
The oats were sown broadcast By
hand in all trials except in testing
the effect Of covering a. different
depths
The yields from plats sown At
different rates. from one TO four
bushel per acre. varied but little. In
like trials for FIVE years the smallest
yields have been from seeding al the
rate Of one bushel; the next lightest,
from sowing Is bushels; third light
est from sowing bushels; with
slight differences from seeding at
rates from , ) 10 SIS bushels an acre.
The yield OF straw, the weight %
grain per bushel. and the percentage
Of kernel TO husk have been lowest
from thinnest seeding These trials
indicate that for this soil ana climate.
when oats are sown broadcast On
fairly prepared soil, they should b.
sown at the rate 81 from ~ to 81
bushels an acre
Trials Of the effect 81 having the
seed bed loose, medium compact, or
compact showed results slightly the
best from having medium condition
The yields from pls,s plowed were
less than plats disked. These results
correspond with those in trials ia
three other years.
Trials to determine the effect u
sowing al different dates showed that
the best results in every KAY came
from sowing about the last of March.
but with no serious loss from seeding
up to April -.
Trials 70 determine the effect of
covering the seed from one 10 Fix
inches deep showed the hest results
from the shallowest covering. The
average results from trials for five
years show a steady increase III Weld
from the shallowest to the deepest
covering. In 1891 the best results
came from covering two inches deep.
The vitality d each lot of seed was
tested. In most eases il wa good.
but in FIVE lots less than eighty-fvc
per cent terminated. In general the
yields Of the plats where the seed
had not high percentage 81 vitality /
was low. This suggests that il i
worth while To test the vitality u I.
seed oats
The per cent % hulled kernel to I
berry Of all varieties was $3.50; the 4
highest, Il. iS; the lowest. CTS.
Slightly better results we're ob. K
tanned when the oats were harvested .
while the straw was stiIl green and .
the kernels mostly in the dough \
stage, than when the straw wns 4
mostly yellow and the kernels hard.
When the oats were allowed to ma
ture fully the results were distinctly F..
less satisfactory. When the sheaves
were bound and shocked at once, the \
yield was somewhat better than
when the cut straw was allowed To
dry thoroughly before the shcavcs
were bound.
The results u all experiments with
oats tried a. the station for the last
five years suggest that on the fertile
soil Of central Eastern Illinois, with
simple methods, we may expect In
series Of years an average yield al
acre q little over fifty bushels or
grain and about one and one-balf
tons 81 straw; the oats weighing
rather less than more than the stan
lard weight Of thirty-two pounds a
pushel; that il is not advisable 10
pillow the land In the spring II the
crop follows corn, the use Of the disk
harrow giving better results; that
the crop should be sown near the last
Jf March or first Of April; that If
'own broadcast, II Is better 10 SOW
rom two and one-half 10 three and
)ne-half bushels per acre. covering
he seed not more than one or two
inches deep: that there il no variety
greatly superior TO all others. 50 that
I II not wise 10 put full credepra III
ne claims often made for new yarie.
les; that some varieties are. how {
'Ycr, distinctly better than some
timers: that neither color or phlmn. !
less Of kernels. weight per bnshel.
lor the form Of the head certainly
determines value; but that. generally.
'arieties with long. slender. compar-
lively light kernels have the small
~ percentage Of husk, and probably.
ne greatest feeding value: that early
maturing varieties are to be- pre-
erred 70 those ripening later; that II
desirable to harvest the crop be q
ore II has fully ripencd; and that y
inding and shocking the sheayes Al
nee IS an advantage rather than a il
isadvantagc, il the grain h in III D
for cutting.
Grinding. II
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