1 86 AGRICULTURE OF MAINE. 



to be listed among those varieties possessing greater cropping 

 ability than the average oat. 



A black oat, the Victor, is an interesting type. The straw 

 is coarse, tall, and stiff and bears an open head with very long 

 branches. This variety yielded 55 to 60 bushels of grain per 

 acre. 



The Lincoln oat resembles the President in general appear- 

 ance, except that it does not grow as tall. The grain is short, 

 very plump and white. During the past four seasons this 

 variety has yielded from 48 to 70 bushels of grain per acre and 

 an average of 2900 lbs. of straw. 



Of varieties introduced since 1910 the Early Pearl, a medium 

 to late variety, is very promising, judging from its perform- 

 ance in these tests. This oat has been grown for several years 

 by Air. R. L. Copeland of Brewer, Maine. It seems that this 

 variety originated from a single plant found on the roadside 

 and later propagated by Mr, Copeland. It has a uniform ap- 

 pearance and is very productive on fertile soils. In 1912 this 

 variety produced 64 bushels of grain per acre and in 1913, 70 

 bushels per acre. These figures are the means of yield from 

 two plots in 1912 and four plots in 1913. The straw of this 

 variety is tall, stiff, and medium size, with the heads open, 

 and erect. The grain is white, long, medium size, and well 

 filled. 



Other late varieties, the Siberian, Abundance and Silver 

 Mine, resemble in general the Banner and President varieties 

 in appearance. The yield has not been as great as that of 

 these two varieties. 



These tests will be continued in following seasons in order 

 that each variety may be tested more than two years at least 

 and preferably during five years. In such a period it may be 

 possible to judge of the effects of certain seasonal changes on 

 the cropping ability of these different varieties. 



Plant Selections. Individual plants representative of differ- 

 ent types are selected each year from the fields. The seed of 

 each plant is kept separate and sown in a single row by itself. 

 Hence all plants in a row are the descendants of one plant. 

 Throughout the growing season notes are made as to the char- 

 acters and general behavior of the plants in these rows. The 

 plants of each row are weighed and threshed together so the 



