The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1913-02-07
Uniform Land and Tlilaae.

The tillage Of land for. oats is one
Of the most neglected practices In q
great many states. This is true In
Iowa. Two or; three times over I
stalkf1eld with dull disk and harrow
is considered by. too many farmers
to be all that is necessary for oats.
The ridges from the last years corn
field 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 tho
early. part Of the season, causing the
ground to pack. and thus retard tho
growth Of the plants. The few that
are able to survive get yellow and
spindly. The whole piece 10 striped
nike q prison suit. ,-.
Depth 70 TIL.
The depth to which oat ground
should be titled varies with the soil
and season. Corn stubble will usual
" produce fair crop If prepared we'll
to a depth of two to two and a half
inches. Our best crops, however, have
been raised upon land titled to a
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 a
uniform surface and to 4 uniform
depth.
llniforn, e>ed
Results show that grading seed i'm
proves the crop. Well graded oats
will usually give a termination test
above 80 per cent, but If they have at
any time heated in the bin, they
Phould be tested for vitality. This may
be done easily In q box Of dirt or
sand, set In among the house plants.
or in any light room that is not n
lowed to freeze.
There is another factor of i'm
portance from the. standpoint of uni.
form seed, namely. smut. The fan
ming mill or grader Will not eliminate
oats smut from the seed oats. -.
~.s-p, Uniform Distribution Of Seed.
Il is impossible to SOW oats evenly
by hand, OF. with an endgate seeder,
and it is Impossible to cover to
uniform depth after any kind ofgsA
broadcast seeder.. Just how much
this non-uniformity will affect the
uniformity Of the plants lies largely
with the weather onditions. :, II there
Is an abundance Of rain the difference
caused by depth is reduced. -, The
spotted condition caused by uneven
distribution is never entirely over
come. .t>y. ~ s.. o.. fl
ttas Cutting the Crop. r
The average farmer cuts hit oats
ut above, the proper time; that is just
before the heads turn yellow. There
lre two Or three days just before ma
turity when the heads are white but
are not entirely ripe. Oats cut 1t
this period viii ripen and cure in the
shock, giving brighter color, and
are not so likely to SKATER ~ when
they are left until they get dead ripe.
!! ,zzs How TO Shock. 1,g. ~
Opinions differ regarding the form
Of shock which it Is best to USE. This
will vary with the ripeness Of tho
bundles. Round shocks should be OF
medium size, open enough at the
base so that they Will dry quickly and
capped 90 as to expose the least pos
Dible amount Of the heads to the sun
md dew. The color Of the grain de-
ponds largely upon these two points
IN shocking. 5
Shock Threshlnq.
| Shock threshing is a pernicious
practice. After man has gone to
the trouble to raise and harvest q
crop Of oats there is no excuse for hie
! damaging their palatability BY put.
ting them through the sweat" IN the
bin. Oats can be stacked and thresh.
I'D for practically the same money %
when they are hauled directly to the
machine. When oats are sweat out
i &c. $I.n - Sta,a e, x,AvpAk-S,nA~A -