193 RURAL MICHIGAN 



gan, according to J. F. Cox, is the common six-row 

 type, with the Wisconsin Pedigree as the highest 

 yielding strain. He (k'scribcs this as "a bearded type 

 well adapted to Michigan." A black barbless type of 

 barley has also l)een introdnced, described as an ex- 

 cellent yielder and drought-resisting.^ 



The climate of ]\Iichigan is regarded as especially 

 favorable for the growing of oats, both in respect to 

 moisture and length of season, with relative freedom, 

 especially in the northern sections, from prolonged 

 hot dry periods. The clays and clay-loams are well 

 adapted to this crop. Its relation to other crops, 

 clover, timothy, alfalfa, and sweet clover, also favor- 

 ite forage crops of the State, also encourages the 

 production of oats. The average yield, 1905-1919, 

 was 33.1 bushels to the acre. The tendency to raise 

 oats is increasing. The southeastern counties of the 

 State lead in oat production northward to the 

 "Thumb" district.- In 1920, 56,430,000 bushels of 

 oats were produced on 1,425,000 acres, a yield that 

 averaged 39.6 bushels an acre. 



Fields of buckwheat are encountered on many 

 Michigan farms, although they are usually small. 

 In 1920 this grain recorded an output of 609,000 

 bushels from 42,000 acres, which was 4.4 per cent 

 of the United States crop. 



Not all farmers attempt to raise clover seed, and 

 the yield in 1920 all told was reported at 120,000 



^Michigan Farmer, CLIV, 451. 



''Mich. Agr. Coll. Bull.: Cox: "Oats in Michigan," 1920, 

 3. 



