SCORE CARD FOR OATS 



100 grains for sample. 



Explanation 



UNIFORMITY OF TYPE. The grain should be characteristic of the variety 

 as shown by the size, shape, and color, and should also be uniform in these 

 respects. Color refers to the natural hue, as white or yellow, hence discolor- 

 ation of grains due to weathering should not be discriminated against under 

 the heading uniformity. Differences in size, shape, and color of the grains 

 usually indicate a mixture of varieties, and the sample should be cut according 

 to the percentage mixture. When the variety characteristics are not known or 

 considered, the sample should be scored only on uniformity of grains and not 

 on variety characteristics. Deduct one point from the perfect score for 

 each per cent of non-uniform grains in the sample. 



FREEDOM FROM FOREIGN MATTER. Foreign matter includes everything in 

 the sample that is not oats. This material may be classed under three general 

 headings: (1) Weed seeds; (2) foreign grains; (3) inert material. Ordinarily, 

 deduct one point from the perfect score for each four per cent of foreign matter. 



SOUNDNESS. The grain should have a bright, lustrous appearance, and 

 should show strong vitality. It should not be damp, stained, weathered, 

 discolored, immature, musty, mouldy, smutted, hulled, badly broken, or 

 sprouted. The general rule is to deduct one point for each two per cent of 

 unsound grains. 



PROPORTION OF KERNEL TO HULL. The plumper the kernel and the 

 thinner and shorter the hull, the higher the proportion of kernel to hull. Large, 

 plump, and well-developed kernels provide an increased amount of material 

 for germination. The proportion of kernel depends on (1) maturity; (2) de- 

 velopment; (3) variety; (4) section in which grown. To determine the pro- 



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