MAINE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION, I913. 29 



The Prosperity oat is also a late variety producing tall leafy 

 plants having stiff straw. The heads are open, spreading with 

 long branches, the grain is white, short and plump. During the 

 four years test the yield of grain ranged from 53 to 73 bushels 

 per acre, averaging 62.5 bushels. Average amount of straw 

 produced was 2,768 pounds. 



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

 i- coarse, tall, 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, 

 \ery plump and white. During the past four seasons this vari- 

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

 average of 2,900 lbs. of straw. 



Of varieties introduced since 1910 the Early Pearl, a medium 

 to late variety, is very promising, judging from its performance 

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

 Mr. R. L. Copeland of Brewer, Maine. It seems that this vari- 

 ety originated from a single plant found on the roadside and 

 later propagated by ]\Ir. Copeland. It has a uniform appear- 

 ance and is very productive on fertile soils. In 1912 this vari- 

 ety produced 64 bushels of grain per acre and in 1913 70 

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

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

 variety is tall, stiff, medium size, the heads open, 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. 



(b) Breeding Work. 



The work of producing new varieties of oats which would 

 be better suited to Maine conditions was started in 1910. Two 

 hues of work have been carried on. One of these has been 



