174 THE SOILS AKD CROPS OF THE FABM. 



oat plant to a cool, moist climate that early sowing 

 is found especially advantageous. It is curious that 

 while the cultivated oat does poorly in California the 

 wild species, Avena f atria, L., should become an abun- 

 dant and valuable wild pasture grass in that state. 



The physical properties of oats seem to be readily 

 affected by climate. The southern varieties are larger, 

 less plump, often of a dirty dun color, with long- awns. 

 Of course there are all degrees of plumpness, from 

 the very short, plump, smooth berries of the more 

 northern climate to the long, slender, long awned 

 southern varieties. The fact that short, plump, 

 smooth, heavy berries have the largest market value 

 has led to the importation of varieties from Scotland, 

 Norway and Sweden. Probably more new varieties 

 of oats are imported and distributed by seedsmen than 

 of any other cereal. 



Soil. — The character of the soil upon which oats 

 are sown is of less importance probably than 

 with any other crop. Almost any tillable soil 

 will bring a fair crop of oats. It is on this 

 account and because oats are liable to lodge on 

 very fertile soil, that they are sown on the poorer 

 soils and on soils in the most exhausted state of 

 fertility. In the American systems of rotation they usu- 

 ally follow corn. Fertilizers are seldom applied to 

 this crop, both because they grow too rank and 

 because it usually pays better to apply the manure to 

 some other crop. Oats respond, however, very readily 

 to an application of manure where applied when 

 needed. 



Varieties. — Oats may be classified according to 

 their date of ripening, according to the color and 



