Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-05-08
The Stranpile
How About YOUR o.ts crop?

|
Statistics for the last ten years
show that the state has produced on
the average thirty bushels Of oats per
acre. The average price for the same
/ period has been about 80 cents per
bushel, the average gross returns per
! acre being $10.5O. We know that many
| farmers are raising fifty to sixty bush
els per acre right along while many
bushel state average.
Cost Of Production. 9
Fair estimates show that it will cost
in the neighborhood of $3.50 per acre
to grow a crop Of oats, not counting
anything for land rental. In fact, the
statistics gathered in 1905 from farm
ers over the state give the average
cost of producing an acre Of oats as
$3.50. II we add to this sum IS for
rent of land, the production cost
| amounts to $10.53 per acre. We readily
see that the returns are entirely used
up in paying for raising the average
crop. Some are certainly making a
profit, while many more are as Ger
tainly losing money when they raise
this crop under present conditions.
Causes Of Poor Yields.
There are several causes for the low
Yields of oats in Indiana. principal
among which are unfavorable seasons,
poor soil treatment, and poor SEED
Oats is naturally cool weather crop
and any season which is hot and dry
will not produce very large crop ~
oats Of the best quality. the SOIL
treatment and cultural methods for
oats on the average farm fall far
short of what they should be. Any
thing seems to be considered good
enough for oats and they are man
aged in slipshod way
Preparing the Ground and Seeding.
The ground should be put in loose
level well pulverized condition. Win
no clods as large as ones fists. AFTER
the ground is properly prepared, care
should be taken to properly distribute
; the seed. There are ways in whlch the
seed can be distributed on the grouno
as uniformly as with the drill. put
there is no way in which all the seed
can be soWn to the same depth, except
by the use of the drill. In dry sea-
son the plants, from seed lying near
t the surface. will be quickly affected
and will produce less than those start
ing from a point lower down In the
soil However, this article is intended
TO discuss the seed factors particu-
larly
High Yielding Variety.
Among the causes of low yields which
the farmer can overcome, is the use OF
a variety poorly adapted to the climate
in which it is being grown. The station
variety tests covering period Of nine
years show that the average yield of
the ten highest yielding varieties is 1913
bushels more than the average of the
ten lowest yielders. This difference is
sufficient to pay for nearly half the cost
Of producing a crop. Among the better
yielders Of which seed can generally
be found among farmers or seedsmen
are the following: Big Four. Emperor
William Great American. Great Dakota
National, Silver Mine, and Swedish Sc
lect.
Tanning the Seed.
Experiments have shown that fam
ming the seed results in an increased
WELD of from one to three bushels per
acre. The advantage comes in the re-
moval Of a large amount OF dirt, chaff.
and sticks. which~is ,feft IN the seed
clog the drill more or less and prevent
the proper OiSlTlDutIpIl VI tIie seen. All
other advantage from tanning which is
not measured in bushels or money. is
the escape from sowing large num-
Der of weed seeds. The oats crop can
be largely chokcd out by weeds and the
quality considerably injured after har-
vest by weeds causing heating mould
ing and discoloration Of the seed
Weeds contribute much TO small re-
turns from growing oats.
Treat For Loose Smut.
Another cause OF low yields and
one which can be cheaply prevented.
is the infection of the seed oats with
loose smut. The yield is frequently
diminished as much as 20 per cent.
Fifty cents worth Of formaldehyde and
81 for abor will treat enough oats with
which to SOW twenty acres. How can
we treat the oats? Mix one pound OF
formaldehyGe with fifty gallons of
water. This is enough to treat nifty
bushels OF oats. Spread the oats out III
a thin layer. moisten it with the
forInaldehyde solution by means OF
a surinkling can and shovel over thor
oughly. making sure to distribute the
moisture to every kernel Then pile
I'D and cover with a canvas and leave
for four hours. The oats is then ready
to spread ont TO dry. after which the
seed may be sown. 1t is we'll to thor
ouehly disinfect the sacks. bins, ano
drill to prevent reinfection.
Rate Of Seeding.
Frequently low Yields are caused by
too small an amount Of seed per acre
being sown. Station experiments show
that the best Yields are, on the aver
age, obtained from sowing from two
and one-half TO three and one-haf
bushels of oats per acre. The aver
age of four years work at the Indiana
station to determine the best rate 10
seed oats shows the use of three bush
els per acre to have produced three
bushels more than that produced by
any other seeding.
When the farmer has sought Out
the most prolific variety, prepared the
seed in every way to guard agaIns'
poor and and disease. and has prop
erly attended to the soil and seeding.
he has done what he Is naturally ex'
pected TO do in raising oats. ard Sthen
he may expect to get prohtapie re-
turns. Z. ".
Assistant in crops. Indiana Agricui-
ttural College Experiment station.
Field Tests Of Alfalfa.
Alfalfa is a plant of peculiar re-
alirements that make it more exactlng
in some respects than many other farm
crops. Tests by various experiment
stations in different parts OF the coun-
ia that Drovi6c1 certain other