The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-04-26
PERTINENT FACTS UPON THE SOWING OF SPRING GRAIN Farms Which Garry Live Stock Can Use Small Grains
 As Well As Corn. WILL AID FARMER
 IN MAKING PROFIT Kinds of Grain to Sow, and
 How to Cultivate and
 Care for the Crop.
Spring Grains for Connecticut.

spring Grains for Connecticut.
 All farms in the state that carry live stock can use small grains as we'll as corn. With present market prices and food shortage 1t is everyone's duty to be as nearly self-supporting as possible. Although corn is import ant and highly productive, it must be remembered that oats and barley re- quire no cultivation or hoeing; that work on these crops conflicts but little with other farm work; that for the labor required, all small grains pro- duce more feed than any crop except hay.
 More Grain Should be Grown in Order
 To be supporting and thereby reduce the amount and cost of grain bought.
 To make more money from the farm by doing more business and bet ter farming without an increase in labor.
 To improve the hay grown. More small grain means a shorter rotation. A short rotation means more frequent seeding down, which, of itself, results m more clover hay.
 To improve, save and increase the farm manure made, by having an abundance of straw for bedding.
 To make more and better use of available labor, for on many farms some grain can be grown in addition to the usual crops produced.
 Use the larger fields where harvest ing machinery can be operated to ad- vantage. Seeding with a grain drill cheapens the cost and gives better re- suits. Avoid fields too wet or too dry for good corn production. Seed after cultivated crop if possible, that is, on last years corn or potato fields. With spring grains seed to grass and clover at the same time, or plan to follow with fall sown rye or wheat, Get enough grain sown in your To- cality to justify a good threshing out lit that is efficiently handled.
 Of the spring grains, oats are most commonly grown. This crop is adapt ed to most soils where corn thrives. It furnishes feed, either ground or whole. well suited to all farm animals. Barley IS anu ncommon crop in Connecticut but the only objection to it is the in- convenience in handling because of the stiff, scratchy boards. Barley yields as well or better than oats. if lodges less, is a better nurse-crop for grass seeding, and makes good dairy. poultry or horse feed. Spring wheat does only fairly well in Connecticut. | often giving small yields of light i grain, unless more heavily fertilized i l only for poultrymen and family con 1 sumption where no winter wheat is
 grown. Spring rye can be grown but
 is much inferior to winter rye in Con-
 necticut.
 Most soils satisfactory for corn will
 grow oats. Loam soils, varying from
 line sandy loam to clay loam, are the
 best oat soils. Avoid light sandy soils, as oats require a liberal water
 supply.
 . Seed as early as the ground can be
 fitted. This is important. For grain
 use to 10 pecks per acre. If the seed
 oats are large and plump, use 1C
 pecks, but if small and slim, pecks
 are usually enough. Too thick seed
 ing means more loss from lodging
 especially on very fertile fields.
 Have the soil compact underneath
 but very fine and mellow on the sur.
 face. Corn stubble or potato fields, ii
 reasonably free from weeds and trasf
 can often be well and economically fitted for oats by disking and harrow ing, without blowing.
 Where possible, seed with grai1
 drill, as it requires less seed, give
 peter distribution, often better stands
 and less lodging.
 Oats are usually grown on the left over fertility from corn with onl. small application of either manure O fertilizer. Too much manure pro
 duces a rank, weak stem, very liabl to lodge. This often happens on olt land heavily manured the year be fore.
 Use manure only on rather run-out poor fields, and then supplement i
 with 20 to 400 pounds acidp hosphat per acre. If grown on corn land pre- l yiously manured, use acid phosphat
 only, or 20 to 500 pounds of fertilize having or 2 per cent. ammonia ant to 12 per cent. phosphoric acid. Most of the oats sown in the stat are simply g. good, clean grade 0 < feed oats. When the crop is used fo \ forage, these are fairly satisfactory X but for grain more care should b used in the selection of seed, Tn K points of greatest importance are: q yield, CD stiffness of straw, and 6 \ percentage of hull. The second poin \ is of particular interest, since one o K our most frequent causes of loss i E lodging. Oats are usually sown ol corn ground, well manured the pre- vious year. Under these condition
 the crop is very apt to go down. Thi
 may be overcome in large measure d) by using acid phosphate; @ b
 sowing as early as possible; (3) b using varieties that are stiff strawed . On the last point it is well to remem \ Der that the early oats like KhersoT 2 Iowa 100. Iowa 105, Wisconsin T, ar shorter strawed and practically neve \ lodge. Of the medium or late varie E ties, Swedish Select and Lincoln hay stood up well and made good yield at sstorrs Experiment Station. Silver { mine, CIydesdale and Banner hay yie,ded well, but have been more sut ject to lodging.
 Harvesting---If at all possible, us g. reaper, or better, binder. This imperative when labor is scarce. Tn A following points should be Kept ' mind: CD Do not cut until the oai \ are fully ripe; @ make the bundle ' small and not too tight; (3) shoe I carefully, in long, narrow shocks.