rHE NEWARK JOURNAL
Published Weekly
BYTHE JOURNAL PRINTING GO
SPUING DAIS IS
NUB SAFE CROP
It U Easy to Get Started and Ma
tures at a Convenient Time
of the Year.
By L. W. Osborn,
Experiment Station University of
Arkansas.
Oats seeded In the spring ot late
winter have always been popular with
farmers In oat growing sections of the
State. This crop matures at a very
convenient time when the supply of
feed from the preceding year Is get
ting low. The crop always can be de
pended upon to yield at least fair re
turns at an opportune time. Further
more, tho crop Is comparatively easy
to get started, and the work can be
dono at a time of year when nothing
else is pressing.
The value returned per acre Is not
as high in case of oats as with some
other crops. Still when the low cost
of production Is considered, as well as
the fact that the crop is removed from
the land in plenty of time for a crop
of cowpeas, soybeans, peanuts, or oth
er summer growing crops, the value
Is high enough to make the oat crop
profitable.
Spring seeded oats, compared with
winter oats, do not, as a rule, yield
as nruch grain nor as good quality of
grain, and usually the growth of straw
ts less. On the other hand, oats seed
ed In the spring or late winter are not
damaged by winter killing and are
more certain to give a return on a
field where winter oats aro likely to
suffer. On poorly drained soils and
on fields subject to overflow, spring
oats should therefore be given prefer
ence.
Preparation of Land
Though the oat crop In general will
stand considerable rough treatment,
there is no question but that the
crop will respond to good cultural
methods and return a profit according
ly. A fairly deep and compact seed
bed should be prepared before seed
Ing. Frequently, on good land which
has had a well-cared-for cultivated
crop the year before, a thorough dou
ble disking, followed by a section har
row is all that is necessary. On land
which Is of a close nature and lack
ing in organic matter it is a better
practice to flat break during the win
ter and disc or harrow before seeding
until the land Is In good shape.
Time of Seeding.
Tho oat crop In general does best
when the weather Is comparatively
cool and moisture plentiful. For that
reason, the sooner after the cold win
ter weather breaks up that the oat
crop can ho seeded, the better are the
possibilities for securing a good crop.
The time of seeding will vary in dif
ferent sections of the State from early
February in south Arkansas, to early
March in north Arkansas. Time of
seeding is very important in the case
of oats seeded at this time of year.
When seeding is delayed in the spring
there is great danger that hot sum
mer weather will not permit the grain
to fill out normally. An early seeded
crop allows more time for the plants
to grow and get ready for such
weather.
Seed is best sown with a grain drill
In order to save seed and secure a
uniform stand. If a drill is not avail
able, good results can generally be
obtained by seeding broadcast and
covering with a section harrow. Be
tween two and two and one-half bush
els of seed are necessary with a grain
drill and three bushels or more when
seeding broadcast. The rate of seed
ing depends, to a great extent, on the
variety, since some varieties have
much larger grains fhan others.
Varieties.
Varietal tests of spring oats show
that early maturing types give best
results. Burt has always been a vefy
dependable variety and seed can
usually he secured at most seed
houses. The various Red Rust Proof
varieties which are commonly seeded
in the fall, do very well when seeded
In the late winter or early spring. A Red
Rust Proof selection, known as Ful
ghum, which was tested for the first
time as a spring oat this past season
dld exceptionally well. This oat Is one
of the earliest of the Red oats. Cul
berson and Winter Turf varieties
should not be used for spring seeding
because of their later maturity.
Harvesting.
The greatest value per acre can
usually be obtained when the crop is
cut and used for hay.
If the crop Is cut Just as the heads
begin to turn, the greatest value will
be realized, since the straw is green
•it that time and the whole plant it
very palatable and makes a high qual
ity of feed.
Caret ree.
"How do you know that picture is
one of the old masters?” “Don’t ask
me,” replied Mr. Cumrox. “That in
formation is part of what I paid for.
Ask the dealer how he knows."
MILLION BUSHELS
OATS LOST IN 1916
Twelve Per Cent of Crop Is Destroyed
By Smut—The Best Remedy
Is Formalin.
The plant disease survey made dur
ing the last year and covering more
than one-half the counties in the state
shows that smut caused the loss of
12 per cent of the oat crop according
to the report of J. I.<ee Hewitt, Plant
Pathologist with the University of Ar
kansas, who says that there was little
disease and loss where the seed had
been treated with formalin before
planting.
Ten million bushes of oats were
produced in Arkansas in 1916. Twelve
per cent of this crop, or 1,200,000
bushels were lost because of smut.
The average yield for the state was
27 bushels per acre; consequently,
three and one-fourth bushels per acre
was the average loss. With oats at
40 cents a bushel, th average farm
price, $1.56 was the average money
loss per acre. By treating seed with
formalin before planting with a cost
of about two cents per acre and the
work, this enormous loss to the farm
ers of the state could have been avert
ed. Every farmer in Arkansas should
see the value of the fomalin treatment
and use it before planting the 1917
crop.
| WO UdUSCS VII VUUOC M'llMk.
Loose smut may be caused by either
of I wo fungi which are so similar that
they may be considered as one in the
treatment for smut. The loss from
smut is greater than is commonly sup
posed for: 1. Smutty stalks are usual
ly shorter than healthy ones and not
easily observed. 2. The boot some
times hides the smutty heads which
then appear only as immature or bar
ren plants. 2. Smut ripens several
days before cutting, and may blow
away, leaving the smutty stalks naked
and not noticeable.
Smut is a parasite plant that grows I
Inside of and feeds upon the oat plant.
Smut rohs growing oat plants of nour
ishment and weakens them, some
times so much that they cannot push
their panicles or heads out of the
sheath of the upper leaf.
Threshing Machine Agent of Infection.
The black masses of smut, seen
when the grain is ripening, consist of
| countless numbers of spores. When
the oats germinate and grow the smut
spores germinate also. The tiny
smut plants penetrate and enter the
oat plants, growing up within. There
is nothing to indicate their presence
until the heads form. At. this time
the oat kernels are filled with the
smut. Sometimes only a part of the
head is affected. A part of all of the
stalks from each stool may be attack
ed. The threshing machine is the
wholesale agent of infection as crops
practically free from smut may be
come infected by spores carried in
the machine from an infected neigh
boring field.
To Prevent Smut.
1. Use seed oats free from smut.
2. Disinfect all sacks, bins, etc., with
formalin. 2. Treat seed oats with for- j
malin when there is any douht of their
being free from smut. One pound to
forty gallons of water is the same as
one ounce to two and one-half gallons.
Use this strength with the sprinkling
I method.
Formalin Treatment of Grain.
Spread the grain in a layer three to
four inches thick on a clean floor or
canvas. With a watering pot, sprinkle
the grain thoroughly with the mixture
of formalin and water. When the grain
is pretty wet all over, shovel it back
and forth two or three times to get
some of the mixture on every grain.
Add more of the mixture and shovel
over until the grain Is quite wet but I
not wet enough to pack in the hand, j
Then shovel into a pile and cover with
empty sacks. Let stand for six to 12
hours. Spread out the grain and dry
quickly and thoroughly, otherwise the
grain may germinate which will in
jure it. Drying may be hastened by
adding air slacked lime. It will take j
about one gallon of mixture for each
bushel of grain. If the grain is sowed
before thoroughly dried, allow about
one peck to the bushel extra for the
swelled condition of the grain. Do not
use more or less formalin than Is rec
ommended. Do not put treated grain
Into old, smutty sacks, bins or any
place or receptacle not having been
treated with formalin.
A. Formalin treatment is for: (1)
Bunt or stinking smut of wheat. (2)
All oak smuts. (2) Kernel smut of
sorghum. (4) Covered smut of bar
ley. (5) Smuts of millet <
B. Hot water treatment is for: (1) J
Loose smut of wheat. (2) Head <
smut of barley.
C. Seed treatment is useless for: <
(1) Corn smut. (2) Head hmut of
Rorghum. j
Bee keepers should take particular !
pains to inform the fruit growers chat
spraying the fruit trees when they are
in full bloom not only poisons many
of the bees, but it is not the time to
get the codling moth. Better still, |
get in touch with the horticultural in- i
spectors, and ask them to give the
proper information about the best '
time to spray.
Irregularity in care and feeding is
felt more by sheep than by any other
farm animal. A successful sheep man
aa^s that he "feeda by the clock."
THE FOURTEENTH ANNUAL
OLD SETTLERS’ RE-UNION
-WILL BE HELD AT
THURSDAY, FRIDAY AND SATURDAY
The annual picnic and Old Settlers’ Reunion at Newark has become noted
as the best and most enjoyable event oi the kind in North Arkansas and
no pains or expense will be spared to make the one this year the greatest
event in the history of Newark and Independence County.
Many Attractions
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Including all kinds of clean and moral amusement features, such as merry
go-round, picture shows, plantation shows, fiddler’s contest, nevelty shows,
and many new attractions that will please everybody. Uncle Sam and
Aunt Columbia dressed in national colors will he guests of our picnic. Ev
erything will be arranged different and the picnic will be held on larger
and better grounds with ample room for everybody.
THREE DAYS AND NIGHTS OF CONTINUOUS PLEASURE
There will he barrels ICE WA i ER on the ground all the time, FREE for
everybody. Ample hitching room, good camp ground and plenty of stock water
Good. Band Music and Good Spe
A good band has been engaged to furnish music for each day. A speakers stand and plenty of
good seats have been provided, and able speakers will delivei liiieresting and instructive addres
ses on “Good Roads,” “Agriculture,” “Education,” “Stock Raising,” and other subjects of interest,
but no political speeches will be allowed. We have arranged for more and better and a greater
variety of amusements and are prepared to take care of the largest crowd we have ever had, so
don’t fail to come bring well filled baskets, see all your old friends and have a good time.
DON’T FORGET THE PLACE-STURDIVANT PARK
ONE-FOURTH MILE WEST OF THE DEPOT
Special Officers on Ground Day and Night to Keep Order
FOR STAND PRIVILEGES, OR ANY INFORMATION, CALL ON OR ADDRESS COMMITTEE
W. E. Self, o. F. Craig, E. R. Moore, W. A. Isgrig, J.T. Tharp, E. H. Wil
liamson, John Austin, HL E. Hawthorne, F. C. Hoyt,
C. M. Edwards, W. E. Kinman