The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1916-04-21

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Agriculture.)
Oats usually follow cultivated
crop, such as corn or potatoes, hence
it is not generally necessary to pillow
the land before sowing. Oats do wei
on fallplowed land; but if the lant
has not been plowed in the fall, better
yields are usually produced from SOW
ing in a seeded made by diskine
and narrowing than in one made by
spring blowing. Early seeding fol
oats is very desirable. AS a good
seeded can be made much more
quickly with the disk harrow than
with the pillow on land that was in a
cultivated crop last year, the saving
in time is an advantage. Two disk
ings and one narrowing with the
spike-toothed harrow will put clean
land in good shape for sowing with
the drill.
Oats grow best in a seeded that
has two or three inches of loose sur
face soil, but which is firm below that
depth. This is another reason why
disking is to be preferred to spring
| blowing, for there is not time for
| plowed land to settle before the seed
| is sown. Still another reason why
| the disk is better is that field can
| be disked much more cheaply than it
can be plowed, and the cheaper way
of doing a job should always be
chosen if it gives just as good results
as the more expensive.
If the local supply of seed oats Is of
poor quality, care should be taken in
getting a new stock for sowing. 1t is
better to get this supply from points
to the east or west than from points
north or south, as the varieties are
more likely to be those which will
do we'll locally. Varieties which may
be best two or three hundred miles to
the north or south may not be at all
suitable If new seed is wanted, ask
the county agent or the state expert
ment station where to get it and what
varieties to buy.
If you have been growing variety
which does well in your locality it is
better to SOW well-cleaned seed of that
variety grown on your own farm or
in your county than to get seed from
a distance. 1t takes oats a year or
two to get used to the soil and eli
mate in any locality, and they will not
do their best until they become adapt
ed to local conditions. If the oats
grown locally were injured more or
less last summer by rains after har-
,f,,o nj
prove that they will not grow before
you decide to send away for seed. If |
your oats are light and chaffy take |
out about two-thirds of the lightest of |
them with the tanning mill and use |
the other third for seed.
The idea that oats run out and that |
1t is necessary to get new seed every /
few years is quite common, but it is |
not justified by the facts. There is no |
reason why a good variety Of oats
should not be just as good 20 years
from now as it is now, if care Is taken
to keep it pure.
The seed should be cleaned and
graded each year, taking out the weed
seeds and the small kernels. 1t should
also be treated for smut at least once
in two or three years. If the seed is
of good quality it will not pay to
run it through the tanning mill more
than once, to take out the small kerr
nels and weed seeds. II the seed is
poor or very weedy, running 1t through
a second time and taking out two
thirds or more of the grain is we'll
worth while.
The reason 1t is best to take out
he small kernels is that they do not
make as strong plants as the large
,nes. The weak plants from these
small kernels usually produce little
grain. II the kernels that are sown
ire all of about the same size the
plants will be uniform, the crop will
LII ripen at the same time, and the
7ield will be better
The best way to SOW oats is with
he grain drill. Drilling gives more
wen stand than broadcast seeding, for
Ill the seed is covered to about the
,ame depth. In sowing broadcast.
Iome Of the seed may not be covered
It all and some may be covered too
leeply. termination is better from
Irilled seed and the growth is more
inform throughout the season. In nu-4
nervous tests at the experiment sta
ions drilled oats have outyielded oats
own broadcast by several bushels to
he acre. Better stands of grass and
lover can also be obtained In drilled I
han In broadcast oats.
The best depth to SOW oats varies
With the soil and the season. In any
ase they s',ould be covered with half !
n inch to an inch of moist soil. They
hould be sown deeper in sandy soils
han in loans or clays. Deeper seed
ng is also necessary when the ground
) dry than when 1t Ii moist. On tie
verage tina best depth IL from ono
. one and one half inches. q