70 THE HANDBOOK FOR PEACTICAL FARMERS 



AVERAGK OF Years, 1910-1914 



In total production of oats the United States is the leading 

 conntry, with Russia a fairly close second, followed by Germany, 

 Canada, France and Austria-Hungary in the order named. 

 AVithin the United States the important production is limited to 

 eight adjacent states ; Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska, "Wis- 

 consin, North Dakota, Ohio and Indiana, in the order named. 

 This order varies slightly from year to year. 



The states mentioned above produce about sixty per cent of 

 all the oats produced in the United States. The average yield 

 per acre in this group of states for the period 1906-1915 was 

 thirty-eight bushels, while the average for the United States for 

 the same period was thirty-nine bushels. 



Origin of oats. — Like w^heat, the history of oats is not known 

 definitely, although its cultivation does not date as far back as 

 that of Avheat. Oats did not become important until about the 

 Christian Era. Considerable evidence points to two wild forms 

 which ai-e still in existence as the ancestors of our cultivated 

 oats. It is thought that Red Texas, with various selections made 

 from it, King, and Burt, have originated from one form, while 

 from the other the remaining varieties of cultivated oats have 

 probably been derived. 



Range of oats. — At present the range of oats production is 

 much more limited than that of wheat. It is more inclined to bo 

 a cool climate cereal although not exceeding wheat in its north- 

 ern range. Within the United States, however, oats are more 

 widely distributed than any other crop with the exception of 

 potatoes. This is due to the high esteem -in which it is held as a 



'Millions of tons. 

 * Five hundred bales. 



