The Yale expositor., 1918-04-18
Price Is Fair, Large Acreage Is
Available and Seed Is Plen-
tiful.
SEED MUST BE TREATED
Use Of Formaldehyde Will Safeguard
Grain From Smut-Good Variety
and Application of Acid Phos-
phate Increase Yield.
BY PROF. J. r. cox.
Department Of Farm Crops, Michigan
Agricultural College.

East Lansing, Mlch.-Much advice.
urging the more extensive planting OF
many crops not ordinarily sown very
widely In this state, such as sorghum,
spelt and spring wheat. has been Of
fered to farmers of Michigan this
spring. These crops have their place
no doubt to achieve the utmost In pro-
d~uction, but owing to such limiting
factors as restricted adaptation. and
insufficient seed, they are not likely to
occupy any large area-which is per-
haps fortunate.
OF the early spring seeded crops,
however, IL should not be forgotten
that oats and barley now, as always,
are the o dependable grains that
the Michigan farmer can put in-with
oats the favorite because OF their wild
er adaptation and the cheaper and
more plentiful supply obtainable for
seed. These facts, and the many uses
to which this crop can be put, war
ran a greater production. II is also
true that u much larger acreage than
ever before is In shape TO receive
oats-a condition attributable to the
weather OF last fall which held up the
planting of wheat and rye In many
fields. As for the price. II is higher.
proportlonately, than that being paid
for wheat.
Finally there is the important con
sideratlon that for us oats are a safe
crop. Ours is a famous ats state, with
soil and climate both well adapted TO
this grain-and we a not do part
better in these present trying times
than by increasing the acreage and
yield OF the crops we ear grow best.
A bumper oats crop means another
bump for the kaiser.
Getting the Most Out Of Oats.
Successful oats growers. If asked
how to get the most out Of oats, will
almost invariably agree on the follow
ing:
"Plant a good variety early in the
season on well prepared loan or clay
loan.
"Treat seed with formaldehyde to
kill smut.
"Fertilize with acid phosphate to
get better yields and more rapid
growth"
Oats do best on we'll drained loan
and clay loan soils, well supplied with
organic matter, though successful
yields are also frequently secured on
sandy loans. we'll fertilized with ma
nure and phosphate. On heavy clay
and muck soils, the oats frequently
lodge, but this tendency can be large
ly overcome II a stiff-strawed variety.
such as the Worthy, is planted. and
by using acid phosphate, Dr. other phos-
phate-carrying fertilizers.
Oats do best on a firm seed bed. Fall
plowed land can be put in excellent
shape for oats by thorough disklng.
In many cases clean bean, corn or
sugarbeet land can be we'll fitted by
the use of the disk. Weedy or intract-
able soils need blowing, but spring
blowing for oats should be Swallowed.
The turned soils should be immediate
~ followed by roller and harrow to
firmly and to fit the surface thorough
ly.
Preparing Seed Oats for Planting.
It means several bushels in yield
and less weeds on the and II seed oats
are famed thoroughly with a good
tanning mill. Light oats, pin oats,
chaff, weed seeds and dirt can all be
effectively removed. In the case Of
oats, more than with other grains.
large plump seed gives an increase In
production.
Tho formaldehyde treatment Is i'm
portant In insurtng big yields. 1t has
been demonstrated that this treatment
almost completely controls loose smut
Of oats. The old method in CONNER
use consists Of sprinkiing seed oats
thoroughly Previous to seeding with a
solution In the proportion Of one pound
Of 40 per cent f~ormaldehyde to 40
gallons Of water. The oats are spread
out on the floor or In a tight wagon
box, and sprinkled with the solution.
being shovelled over at the same time
till thoroughly moistened. About one
gallon of solution is needed for q
bushel of oats. After sprinkling the oats
are piled up and covered with wet
sacks for from three to six hours, and
then spread out to dry.
The new concentrated formaldehyde
treatment being advised by the de-
partment of botany of the college. is
much more convenient and is equally
effective. In this treatment the oats
are sprayed with concentrated formal
dehyde from a small hand sprayer
such as Is commonly employed in
spraying potatoes. One pint of 40
per cent fo%rmaldehyde will treat so
bushels of oats. For convenience a
pint or more of water may be added.
The sprayer should be held close to
the surface of the oats, the oats being
shovelled over thoroughly to insure
complete application. After treatment
the grain should be shovelled into a
heap and covered tightly with a tar
paulin or sacks for four hours. but no