Inter-Mountain Farmer | 1902-03-04 | Page 1 | Improving Oats

Improving Oats. The plan of Improving tho quality of oats carried on bs tha Illinois Experiment Experi-ment Million la to select from Individual strong plants In tho field the sred and sow It In n sepiratei plot tho succeed. Ine sear. In thla wuy the strong, healthy plants aro preserved and tho poor and weak planta are weeded out of tho vn-rlets'. vn-rlets'. If tho oil breeder will go ln,tn the field na tho plants are passing from the milky to the doughs stages he can easily select those plants which aro free from dlsenso ami arc particularly strong and healthy Tho smut In the onts can be prevented bv treating tho seed with formalin for-malin or hot water Oats do not mix excepting In a short distance, nnd by placing Ihe plots of oats twenty rods unart nil danker of mixing will bo nvolled In fart, vv, havo found that when varieties hnve been grown si la by stilci thlt mixture has taken place onls a few feet In the field The stalk nf oats nnl the character of tho stalk will vary with the locality and conditions nf the soil and climate in which the oala nre giown The oat plint la udaited to Northern condltlona In order to betln breeding- any variety 1 believe that it will be n cood plan to securo seed from somo northern locallts, and b selecting the best plants from the Pel f such seed at the time of harvest, thr nine them separated and sowing In a separate plot or held any Improvement Improve-ment c r change desired can be effected A. D Hhamel, In Ilrcedera' Gazette.