Sharp County record., 1917-03-02
SPRING OATS IS
ALWAYS SAFE CROP
Il is Easy to Get Started and Ma
lures at a Convenient Time
Of the Year.
BY L. w. Osborn,
Experiment Station University q
Arkansas.


Arkansas.
Oats seeded in the spring or late
winter have always been popular with
farmers in oat growing sections OF the
State. This crop natures at very
convenient time when the supply OF
feed from the preceding year is get
ting low. The crop always can be de-
pended upon to yield at least fair re-
turns at an opportune time. Further
more, the crop is comparatively easy
to get started, and the work can be
done at time of year when nothing
y else is pressing.
The value returned per acre is not
as high in case Of oats as with some
other crops. Still when the low COST
Of production is considered, as we'll as
the fact that the crop is removed from
the land in plenty of time for crop
of cowpeas, soybeans, peanuts, or oth-
er summer growing crops, the value
! IS high enough to make the oat crop
profitable.
Spring seeded oats, compared with
winter oats, do not, as rule, yield
as much grain nor as good quality OF
grain, and usually the growth Of straw
is less. On the other hand, oats seed"
ed in the spring or late winter are not
damaged by winter killing and are
more certain to give return on
field where winter oats are likely TO
suffer. On poorly drained soils and
on fields subject to overflow, spring
oats should therefore be given prefer
cnce.
Preparation Of Land.
Though the oat crop In general VIII
stand considerable rough treatment,
there is no question but that the
crop will respond to good cultural
methods and return profit according
ly. A fairly deep and compact seed
bed should be prepared before seed
ing. Frequently, on good land which
has had a well-cared-for cultivated
crop the year before, thorough dou-
BILE disking, followed by section har"
row is all that is necessary. On land
which is Of a close nature and lack
ing in organic matter it Is a better
practice to fiat break during the win
ter and disc or harrow before seeding
until the land is in good shape.
Time Of Seeding.
The oat crop in general does best
when the weather Is comparatively
cool and moisture plentiful. For that
reason, the sooner after the cold win
ter weather breaks up that the oat
crop can be seeded, the better are the
possibilities for securing a good crop,
The time Of seeding will vary in diff
ferent sections Of the State from early
February in south Arkansas, to early
March in north Arkansas. Time OF
seeding Is very important in the case
of oats seeded at this time of year.
When seeding Is delayed In the spring
there Is great danger that hot sum-
mer weather will not permit the grain
to fiji out normally. An early seeded
crop allows more time for the plants
to grow and get ready for such
weather.
Seed Is best sown with grain drill
IN order to save seed and secure a
uniform stand II drill is not avail.
able, good results can generally be
obtained by seeding broadcast and
covering with section harrow. Be.
tween two and two and one.half bush
els Of seed are necessary with grain
drill and three bushels or more when
seeding broadcast. The rate Of seed
ing depends, to q great extent, on the
variety, since some varieties have
much larger grains than others,
Varieties.
Varietal tests Of spring oats show
that early maturing types give best
results, Burt has always been very
dependable variety and seed car
ubuVlly w sNtultu " Lloht bttu
houses, The various Red Rust Proof
varieties which are commonly seeded
In the fall, do very well when seeded
in the late winter or early spring, A Rel
Rust Proof selection, known as Ful
ghum, which was tested for the first
time as u spring oat this past season
did exceptionally well, This oat Ia one
Of the earliest OF the Red oats. Cul
berson and Winter Turf varieties
should not be used for spring seeding
because Of their later maturity,
Harvesting,
The greatest value per acre cor
usually be obtained when the crop II
cut and used for hay
II the crop IL cut Just ns the head,