The Mena weekly star., 1918-08-22
MAKE THE WINTER DAT C5O2 SAFE
Winter Turf and cuIberson Varieties
 Have Proved Most Satisfactory.
L. W. Osborn. Arkansas Experiment
 Station.

failure due to winter killing. Ex- periments of the Arkansas Experi- ment Station at Fayetteville, Scotts. Monticello and Magnolia indicate that the crop can be grown safely even during severe seasons if attention fs given to factors which affect winter killing. Briefly stated these factors are CD choice of variety, (2) time of seeding, (3) method of seeding (p drainage and fertility of the land, (5l preparation of seed bed. Where q winter resistant variety of oats has been seeded with a grain drill at the proper time on we'll drained fertile land the yields Of winter oats have been normal at each point where tests were carried
 Choice of Variety.
 The Winter Turf and ,Culberson varieties have proved most resistant to winter killing. The Culberson oat is an advantage over the Turf vari. ety in that 1t natures about two weeks earlier. The Turf oat has not proved generally satisfactory in Cen tral and South Arkansas tests chiefly because dry hot weather hastene,l the time of normal ripening anl caused the gram to weigh light. It is, however, usually satisfactory in the northern third of the State. The best oat for general seeding the past two years has been the Culberson. Since the Culberson oat Is not com monly grown in the State a number of seedsmen have been requested to obtain supply from Tennessee sources for distribution. The Gull herson oats should be very desirable in every part of the State where a resistant early strain is required
 On fertile well-drained fields ,n central and southern sections oats of ho Rcd Rust Proof type (which in clufe the awned strains-Appler. Hpetings Hundred bushel. Cook and P"ncroft. and the awnless strain F1l- ghum) cane through the winter with martial stands hu' in many instances yielded well Tho Fulghum oat is an oenecitlly desirable variety on fertile lands because il ratures about ten days earlier than the ordinary rust nroof oats. and three weeks earlier than turf oats. thus permitting the land to be planted to peas earlier in summer
 Time of Seednu
 Winter oats should be planted early enough in fall 10 permit tho plants to make a good growth of foli age before cold weather but not SC early as to permit booting to occur In north Arkansas the safe date for seeding oats will usually come be tween September 15 and October In central and southern sections seed ing may be delayed until late Oc tober. depending on locaton, but ear Her seedings are most satisfactory Late planted oats are not only more subject to winter killing but ordi narily do not produce as plump a grain nor yield as we'll
 Metnou or oeeuing.
 Winter oats seeded with a grain drill have consistently survived SC we're winters better than oats sown broadcast. The drill places the seed at a uniform depth where germina. ton is not delayed The furrows left by the furrow-openers of the drill af ford protection to the young plants during severe weather.
 Where no driu can be secured fer seeding oats it is usually possible to secure satisfactory stands through broadcasting if the rate of seeding is increased. It is important that the seed bed be firmed with harrow and roller.
 Rate of Seeding.
 Winter oats of the CuIberson CT Turf varieties may be seeded at the rate of 2-21 bushels per acre, with a grain drill. or 3-3 1-2 bushels broad cast. The large grained rust proof varieties should be seeded at even heavier rates.
 Good Seed-bed Preparation lmpor-
 tant.
 Too many oat-growers follow the practice of seeding oats on poorly. prepared land. Where land is to be broken the blowing should be donJ several weeks before seeding. The use of a disc harrow and roller is very desirable to compact the seed bed When the oat crop follows a pea crop which in turn had careful seedbed preparation, the practice of double-disking will usually put the seed-bed into first-class condition.
 Land Must Be Fertile and We'll
 Drained.
 For best results humus-filled soil will produce a much more vigorous stand than light soil, On flat lands in prairie sections plans should be made for rapid removal of surface water following rains. This may be done through the deepening and opening up of the dead furrows placed about every fifty feet between plowed lands"