Department of Plant-Breeding. 47 



hybrid combinations give better yields than any of the straight selections 

 of standard varieties under trial. The average yield for the three years 

 is 16 ounces per row for the hybrids and 12.5 ounces per row for the 

 selections. 



It is also interesting to note that the difference in yield is very slight 

 when the yields of all hybrids and all selections are taken into considera- 

 tion rather than simply the extremes or the highest yielding strains. In 

 1907, the tests of all hybrids gave an average of only 9.8 ounces per row, 

 equal to a yield of 49.19 bushels per acre, while the average of all straight 

 selections gave a yield of 10.5 ounces per row, equal to a yield of 52.64 

 bushels per acre. In 1908, the calculated average yield per acre of all 

 hybrids was 56.2 bushels per acre and of all straight selections 48 bushels 

 per acre. In 1909, the average yield of all hybrids was 6.73 ounces per 

 row or 33.6 bushels per acre, while that of all straight selections was 

 5.38 ounces per row or 26.9 bushels per acre. The three years' results 

 gave for the hybrids a calculated yield of 46.3 bushels per acre and for 

 the selections 42.5 bushels per acre. The average for the three years 

 shows that the hybrids gave a higher yield than the selections, yet the 

 difference is not very striking and we are not justified in stating that all 

 of the hybrids will continue to yield more than the selections. This will 

 have to be determined by further tests. 



The data secured also furnish considerable evidence on the value 

 of different classes of hybrids. It would seem that the most promising 

 combination of those tested for New York conditions are Burtt crossed 

 with Texas Rust Proof, Burtt crossed with Sixty Day, and Sixty Day 

 crossed with Extra Early Burtt. These conclusions cannot be taken 

 as absolute, as other combinations in oats than those tested might turn 

 out more promising. 



The investigation to determine whether it is possible to produce a 

 winter oat suitable for New York conditions is still under way. The 

 results have advanced little in addition to what was stated in the last 

 report of this department. Several individual selections of plants have 

 been tested in the hope of obtaining some good strains which will with- 

 stand the winter and give high yields. The main object of this investi- 

 gation is to overcome low yield due to the fact that owing to the bad 

 weather in spring many fields have to be seeded very late. Experience 

 has shown that the late sowing of oats gives lower yields than earlier 

 seeding. It is thought that if a winter variety can be obtained the 

 seeding can be accomplished in the fall just the same as with winter 

 wheat, and thus the late spring planting would not so materially affect 

 the yields. 



