• EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETINS. 333 



COMMERCIAL VARIETY TESTING. 



In starting this work in 1919, the best varieties of oats, spring wlieat, and 

 field peas developed at the Experiment Stations of Michigan, Wisconsin, 

 Minnesota and Canada, were obtained. A call wag made to the Upper 

 Peninsula farmers for their best varieties of these grains, but owing to the 

 newness of the work, not many farmers' varieties were obtained in time to 

 plant; a few, however, were entered largely through the efforts of the various 

 Upper Peninsula County Agents. At the Farmers' Picnic, held at the Sta- 

 tion in August, many farmers promised to send in samples, only a few of 

 which have been received. 



OATS. 



The following points were observed on 27 oat plats, representing 18 differ- 

 ent varieties: — Date of planting, date ripe, pounds per plat procured, yield 

 in bushels per acre, and test weight per bushel. 



The highest producing varieties growTi in 1919 were the two early oats, 

 Iowa 103 and the 60-Day. The highest producing medium late oats were 

 Minota 512 from Minnesota and Wolverine from the main station at the 

 Michigan Agricultural College. The early oats were ripe by August 1st, 

 whereas the later maturing oats were not ripe until the middle of August. 

 Since we received a very short rainfall for the month of July (.93 of an inch), 

 it made the season more favorable for earlier oats than for late, because the 

 earlier oats were ripening during this period and the later oats were setting 

 and filling, and dry weather is more favorable to ripening than to develop- 

 ment. 



The high producing varieties grown in 1920, however, were the Wolverine, 

 Worthy and College Success from M. A. C. The early varieties that were 

 outstanding in 1919 did not jaeld within 25 percent ot the late oats in 1920, 

 because of the more favorable weather for late oats. The rainfall for July 

 was more nearly the rainfall of an average season (1.62 inches). 



Fig. No. 8. On August 15th, 1919, Upper Peninsula County Agricultural Agents and their associated 

 Extension workers, gathered at the Station to study the experimental worli that was being 

 . carried on during the past season. This is an annual event. 



