The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1893-04-28
THE FARM AND HOME.
RESULTS OF FIELD ExPERr-
MENTS WITH OATS.

An Average Yield Of FIFTY Bushels m
Acre-Sulphur and Ticks-Salt for
Asparagus Farm Notes
and Home Hints.
Field Experiments with Oats.
The details of field experiments
with oats are given in Bulletin % OF
the agricultural experiment. station
OF the university of Illinois at Cham
paign. The experiments of 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 at 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 at the
rate of one bushel; the next lightest,
from sowing l. 3 bushels; third light
est from sowing bushels; with
slight differences from seeding at
rates from 2. to 3.5 bushels an acre.
The yield of straw, the weight OF
grain per bushel, and the percentage
OF kernel to husk have been lowest
from thinnest seeding. These trials
indicate that for this soil and climate,
when oats are sown broadcast on
fairly prepared soil, they should be
sown at the rate of from 2.5 to 3.5
bushels an acre.
Trials of the effect of having the
seed bed loose, medium compact, or
compact showed results slightly the
best from having a medium condition.
The yields from plats plowed were
less than plats disked. These results
correspond with those in trials in
three other years.
Trials to determine the effect OF
sowing at different dates showed that
the best results in every way came
from sowing about the last of March,
but with no serious loss from seeding
up to April Is.
Trials to determine the effect OF
covering the seed from one to six
inches deep showed the best results
from the shallowest covering. The
average results from trials for five
years show steady increase in yield
from the shallowest to the deepest
covering. In 1891 the best results
came from covering two inches deep.
The vitality of each lot of seed was
tested. In most cases it was good,
but in five lots less than eighty-fivc
per cent terminated. In general the
yields of the plats where the seed
had not high percentage Of vitality
was low. This suggests that it is
worth while to test the vitality OF
seed oats.
The per cent of hulled kernel to
berry of all varieties was SO. 81; the
highest, 77.43; the lowest, 62.8.
Slightly better results were OBJ.
tanned when the oats were harvested
while the straw was. still green and
the kernels mostly in the dough
stage, than when the straw was
mostly yellow and the kernels hard.
When the oats were allowed to ma
ture fully the results were distinctly
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 sheaves
were bound.
The results of all experiments with
oats tried at the station for the last
five years suggest that on the fertile
soil of central Eastern Illinois, with
simple methods, we may expect in a
series of years an average yield an
acre of little over fifty bushels oil
grain and about one and one-hal1
tons of straw; the oats weighing
rather less than more than the stan
dard weight of thirty-two pounds q
bushel; that it is not advisable tc
pillow the land in the spring if the
crop follows corn, the use of the disk
harrow giving better results; that
the crop should be sown near the last
of March or first of April; that il
sown broadcast, it is better to SOW
from two and one-half to three and
one-half bushels per acre, covering
the seed not more than one or two
inches deep; that there is no variety
greatly superior to all others, so that
it is not wise to put full credence in
the claims often made for new varie-
ties; that some varieties are, how
ever, distinctly better than some
others; that neither color Or plump.
ness of kernels, weight per bushel,
nor the form of the head certainly
determines value; but that, generally
varieties with long, slender, compar-
atively light kernels have the small
est percentage of husk, and, probably,
the greatest feeding value; that early
maturing varieties are to be pre-.
ferred to those ripening later; that il
is desirable to harvest the crop be
fore it has fully rirened; and that
binding and shocking the sheaves at
once is an advantage rather than a
disadvantage, if the grain is in fl
condition for cutting.
Cribblng.
Cribbing, otherwise wind-sucking
or swallowing air, says the London
Live Stock Journal, is vice peculiar
to horses alone. It is a vice which
may be checked by mechanical appli-
ances, but is rarely entirely eradi-
Gated. The removal of the manager
op1 Mo <ho borcoc fool - ~ .