GROWING OF OATS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18963, 10 March 1925, Page 14

GROWING OF OATS.

VARIETIES "iO PLANT. TREATMENT OF CROPS. SOILS AND CULTIVATION. r.v w.s. Some of the flow growing varieties of oats mav be sown any time from now on. Many who have had the land previously prepared have already drilled some of this crop in. These, however, are mostly eon fined to those sown for sheep feed. A practice many farmers now adopt, is to sow some suitable vaiietv of oats during this month, and to feed the crop lightly onAvj or twice, according to the quality of the land and to the rankness of growth and J hen let the lield go for a crop, for harvest ing the following season. 'I his method has, certain advantages over t lie ordinary scheme of cropping, because it serves a dual purpose. It provides green feed for stock at. a time when such feed is most, acceptable to the stock owner, and gives a useful crop of stuff that will, under ordinary conditions, come in easilv in the following season tor cutting for chaff or for early threshing. An early-sown crop often comes in vciv useful in case there is a shortage towards the end of the season. Oats sown this month or early in April, should, in most localities, be ready for harvesting about, the end of the year, or shoitly after the new vear. providing, of course. the ground is suitable, and not too wet as in backward districts In most of the northern provinces, where the climate is warm, ear.lv sowing is preferable to late sowing. Tn the southern-most districts of the South Island, however, the season tor sowing is altogether later, and the harvest correspondingly late. In this ease the farmer must use his own judgment as to which is the best time to drill. Varieties to Plant. ' In choosing a variety of oats for tho above purpose, a variety that is not too vigorous in its first stages of growth should be chosen, as such varieties are less liable to exhaust themselves. Algerians are generally making the best allround oat for early autumn sowing, when intended for autumn feeding and then allowed go for a crop. They will find a good bulk of valuable green feed and, if judiciously fed will, on suitable land, grow a good crop for threshing or chaffing afterwards. It is a mistake, however, to feed this, or any other variety, too hard if intended to be let go fur a crop, as each feeding tends to weaken the vitality of plants. Ferns will probably stand closer feeding than any other of our common varieties but are rati:er slower coming into use as green feed, and on that account are of less value. Crops on Light Soils. Some consider that oats grown on medium land will not stand feeding if intended for a crop. No doubt there is some truth in this argument. On the other hand a,, light feeding can be had, even on fairly light land, providing this crop is sown early enough in the season, and allowed to get a good growth before winter sets in. If left over for spting feeding tho stock should be taken off enough to allow of a good growth before dry weather sets in. Otherwise the crop will su ffeir*' If'Tho'sSil 'W Which th'd ostrare grown is of a porous or sandy nature ;v light feeding taken off by sheep often proves more beneficial to "the crop than otherwise. The. trampling of the sheep, while feeding on the crops, packs soil about the roots, while the surface is left a littles rough. This helps to conserve moisture. To ; obtain this, however, the stock should not be allowed on the crop'during wet weather, or when the surface is at all wet, for fear of puddling the top, resulting in the opposite effect to that desired, viz., that of retaining moisture. Sowing Alter Wheat.

There is no particular position in the rotation for oats. They will come in anywhere. providing the land is rich enough in plant food. After wheat, is a favourite position in most of the grain-growing districts of the Dominion. The stubbles are cultivated with the spring-tooth cultivator, or skirn-ploughed as soon as the wheat crop is harvested. This checks = weeds, allows any of the wheat grains to germinate that have shelled out during harvesting operations, thus ensuring a purer crop to be grown afterwards, and sweetens the soil. By skim-ploughing or scarifying the surface immediately after harvest, tho soil is improved by admitting air freely into the ground, and, at tho same time, pulverising the surface soil so that when it is deep-ploughed, the brokenlip snilace is rolled uridfr the deep furrow, so that in ordinary free land the cultivation following the second ploughing need not be deep. Generally speaking. 1 a stroke or two with the heavy b;u rows is all that i.s necessary, whereas, if the stubbles arc merely ploughed deep without first having the surface broken, it may bo necessary to give the furrows a stroke or two of the discs to break up the furrows sufficiently deep to procure ;i suitable seed bed.

Value of Double Ploughing. If oats are taken after lea, it is advisable that Ihe land should be skimploughed previous to deep ploughing, as the turf, after having lain for a number of years during the period down in grass, becomes tough, and contains a deal of humus. If this is ploughed under in an unbroken, condition, tho plants do not set full benefit from the plant food contained therein. If skim-ploughed, ifnd the .skimmed furrows properly broken up. the Jnyiius becomes more thoroughly incorporated with the soil the whole depth "f the furrow. This encourages a more even growth throughout 1 the growing season. Some farmers object to double ploughing on the grounds that it nuccssilatea breaking up lea hind earlier than would he the case if put in on tho one furrow, thereby, losing ;i few weeks' grazing. ] his, of course, is ;i consideration, and must be taken into account, especially when feed is sc&rfe. On the other hand, if the field is fed down bare before being ploughed, there will be very little loss of feed, and the increased yield of the crop will usually more than corn pensatc for the slight loss of feed.