172 THE SMALL GRAINS 



44 to 46 pounds is not rare. Comparisons of yields with 

 other varieties should therefore be made on the basis of 

 bushels by weight instead of measured bushels. Swedish 

 select also grows to a considerable height and produces 

 much straw, its chief fault being a tendency toward 

 overproduction of straw when grown on rich or low land. 

 The roots are large and vigorous, giving the plants hardi- 

 ness in cold or dry seasons. In the northern United States, 

 between the Great lakes and the Rocky mountains, the 

 average annual production of this variety is at least 

 50,000,000 bushels, and in 1910 it was estimated that the 

 annual farm value of the oat crop in Wisconsin alone 

 was increased over $2,000,000 by virtue of the presence 

 of this variety (see Fig. 32). 



165. Kherson oat. The Kherson oat came from the 

 Kherson Government, Russia. F. W. Taylor obtained 

 the seed for the Nebraska Agricultural Experiment 

 Station, while traveling in that country in 1896, but it 

 was not planted until the spring of 1898. It was widely 

 distributed in Nebraska, but for several years was little 

 known outside that state. 



The plant of Kherson oat is a vigorous but not rank 

 grower. The straw is comparatively very short. The 

 leaves are broad ; the panicles spreading ; the kernels light 

 yellow in color, long and tapering, and having a very thin 

 hull. It ripens very early. The bushel weight and acre 

 yield are very good (Lyon, 1904, pp. 3-4) (see Fig. 30). 



The climate of Kherson Government is similar to that 

 of Nebraska and Kansas, but drier. The Kherson variety 

 therefore should be well adapted to the Middle Plains, 

 which on trial was found to be true. 



166. Sixty-Day oat. In March, 1901, the Sixty-Day 

 oat was obtained by the United States Department of 



