PRODUCTION OF OATS 171 



tive crop in these states. The average yield to the acre 

 for the ten-year period (1908-1917) in Washington was 47.1 

 bushels; Utah, 46.0 bushels; Idaho, 43.8 bushels; and Mon- 

 tana, 41.7 bushels. In comparison with these figures, the 

 average yield for the entire United States was 31.2 bushels 

 to the acre, while that of the five states of largest total pro- 

 duction ranged from 27.7 to 35.8 bushels. Naturally, much 

 higher yields than any of these averages indicate are obtained 

 in all the states. Returns of from 150 to 200 bushels to 

 the acre have been recorded in some of the North Pacific and 



16.7^ 



118.8% 



IOWA ^^ ^ 



ILLINOIS M^i— ^^iM^^"^—^— ^^^^ ^^-^^ 

 MINN. l^—i^MiM^^^^^^"^^'^^^^^' ^^■*'y<^ 

 WIS. ^^^^^i^^"^^^^^^^'^ ^^*^'^''^^'^ 



NEBR. ^^a^^^m^^K^^^^m^^m 9.9% 

 OHIO m^a^H^m^mm^^^i ^a^^ 9.1% 



N. DAK. — ^— ^^"i^M^^^^ 10-9% 



INDIANA ^ mmm^m^Hm^^^^^^^^ iO- i% 



MICH. — ^^^i^^"^^— ^' ^— "^ ^ ll-67c 

 S.DAK. 1^— ^ — ^^ — 10-3% 



u. s. ^^a^mma^m^^mmam 8.0% 



Figure 67.— Graph showing the percentage of improved farm land sown to oats in 

 each of the ten states of lar-est production and m the Umted States during 

 the ten years from 1908 to 1917, inchisivc. 



Rocky Mountain states, while in the upper Mississippi 

 Valley crops of from 50 to 75 bushels to the acre are obtained 

 in favorable years. The average, however, is kept down 

 by unfavorable seasons, and by the crops grown on poor soil 

 and on poorly prepared land. 



THE PRODUCTION OF THE CROP 



209. The Best Soils for Oats. The best soils for oats 

 are those which warm up early in the sprmg, thus aiding 

 early seeding and germination, and helping to mature the 

 crop before hot weather. As oats draw more heavily on the 

 soU moisture than most of the other grain crops, a good oat 

 soil is also one that holds moisture well. This combination 

 is found in the loams and clay loams; heavy clays are too 



