Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1913-02-04

The tillage of land for oats is one
OF the most neglected practices in a
great many states. This is true in
Iowa Two or three times over a
stalkfield with dull disk and harrow
ID considered by too many farmers
to be all that is necessary for oats.
The ridges from the last years corn
neld are left so that they are ap-
parent all through the season, and
even the next year In the clover. The
water from rains runs down into the
hollows between these ridges in the
early part Of the season, causing the
ground to pack, and thus retard the
growth of the plants. The few that
are able to survive get yellow and
spindly. The whole piece IL striped
Nike q prison suit.
Depth to Till.
The depth to which oat ground
should be titled varies with the soil
and season. Corn stubble will usual
ly produce fair crop IL prepared we'll
to a depth Of two to two and half
inches. Our best crops, however, have
been raised upon land titled to q
depth of four inches. The seed should
not be put in more than one inch
below the surface.
The first item in the production Of
good oats is to prepare the land to q
uniform surface and to a uniform
depth.
Uniform Seed.
Results show that grading seed i'm
proves the crop. Well graded oats
will usually give termination test
above 80 per cent. but If they have at
any time heated in the bin, they
should be tested for vitality. This may
be done easily in box Of dirt or
sand, set in among the house plants.
or in any light room that is not al
lowed to freeze.
There Is another factor of i'm
portance from the standpoint Of uni
form seed. namely, smut. The fam
ming mill or grader will not eliminate
oats smut from the seed oats.
Uniform Distribution Of Seed.
It is impossible to SOW oats evenly
by hand, or with an endgate seeder.
:and 1t is impossible to cover to q
uniform depth after any kind of q
sbroadcast seeder. Just how much
this non-uniformity will affect the
uniformity Of the plants lies largely
with the weather conditions. II there
as an abundance OF rain the difference
caused by depth Is reduced. The
spotted condition caused by uneven
distribution is never entirely over
come
Cutting the Crop.
The average farmer cuts his oats
at above the proper time: that is just
before the heads turn yellow. There
are two or three days just before ma
turtty when the heads are white. but
are not entirely ripe. Oats cnt al
this period will ripen and cure in the
shock. giving brighter color, and
are not 80 likely to "shatter" as when
they are left until they get dead ripe.
How to Shock.
Opinions differ regarding the form
of shock which it is best to use. This
VIII vary Will Int EipeHtsS VI tHe
bundles. Round shocks should be of
medium size, open enough at the
base SO that they will dry quickly and
capped so as to expose the least pos
Bible amount Of the heads to the sun
and dew. The color of the grain de.
ponds largely upon these two points
fl shocking.
Shock Threshtna.
Shock threshing Is a pernicious
practice. After man has gone to
the trouble to raise and harvest a
crop OF oats there is no excuse for his
eapiasiag their palatability BY "put.
ting taem through the sweat" in the
bin. Oats can be stacked aud thresh-
ed for practically the same money as
when they are hauled directly to the
machine. When oats are sweat out"
In the stack there ID much more air