JG2 TFE SMALL GRAINS 



hull varies from pale red through brown to black. In 

 this country about three groups may be recognized ; (1) 

 the Italian Rustproof, rather strongly awned and quite 

 bristly, (2) the common Rustproof, not so strongly awned 

 and bristled, and earlier-ripening than the Italian, and 

 (3) the Fulghum, which is still earlier-ripening, and in 

 which the awns and bristles are usually wanting (Fig. 

 31, see also Fig. 34). 



The principal cultivated varieties of this subspecies 

 are about as follows : Abrantes, Appier, Apulia, Cataluna, 

 Italian Rustproof, Red Algerian, Ruvo di Puglia, Rust- 

 proof, Asia Minor Rustproof, Fulghum. 



92. Hairy or sand oats (Avena strigosa, Schreber). 

 Both this subspecies and the short oats, according to 

 recent researches, are derived from A. barbata, which has 

 a very extensive range. Both subspecies are distinguished 

 from common oats by the pedicellate lower flower and 

 the presence usually of 2 awns in each spikelet. The 

 spikelet axis in both groups is tufted hairy under the 

 upper flower or under both flowers or may be glabrous. 

 In this subspecies the lemma is divided at the apex into 

 two fine awn-like points in addition to the awn itself. 

 The color of the kernel (hull) is grayish to dark gray. 



The hairy oats occurs as a weed in Europe, especially 

 in common oats. It is of slight economic value, and is 

 cultivated only in sandy or otherwise poor soils or un- 

 favorable climates as in the Orkney and Shetland islands, 

 where other oats fail. The straw has been found good 

 for cattle. Practically only one cultivated variety ap- 

 pears to be known, the Sand or Hairy or Bristle-pointed 

 or Meager oat, in French, " avoine strigeuse." 



93. Short oats (Avena brevis, Roth.). The short 

 oats differs from the hairy oats by the presence of two 



