272 



THE SMALL GRAINS 



(Figs. 78, 79). It is seen that this period for oats runs 

 from 102 days in Maine and New York to 122 days in 

 Texas. The average period for the great oat district of 

 the central Mississippi River Valley States is about 106 

 days. 



For winter wheat, the period from seeding to harvest- 

 ing varies from 216 days in Georgia to 314 days in Minne- 

 sota, a range of nearly 100 days. The average for the 



5 



FIG. 78. Chart showing the period between seeding and harvesting 

 spring oats in states east of the Rocky Mountains. 



great wheat area of the middle plains is about 280 days. 

 The range would be much greater if data were available 

 for Montana, Washington, and Alberta, Canada. In 

 these districts, harvesting is scarcely out of the way 

 before the next seeding begins, and the two often over- 

 lap. Of course the greater portion of this period in north- 

 ern districts is not a period of growth but a period of rest, 

 in the case of winter crops. 



There are many variations from the rule of decreasing length of 

 the growing period northward, because of local conditions, as would 



