FOODS AND FEEDING. 9I 



however, there does not seem to be any practical difference in their 

 nutritive qualities. "Winter" or "tawny" is the name given to those 

 oats which are sown in the autumn. Generally speaking, English oats 

 are plump, short and contain a large proportion of kernel, but are on 

 the other hand often of a poor colour and soft to the feel, owing to their 

 having been harvested under unfavourable, damp conditions. 



Russian. — There appear to be two distinct classes of Russian oats, Russian 

 one small, smooth and silky, with a very fine, yellow husk, and the other oats, 

 somewhat larger, rough to the feel, and thicker in the husk. Compared 

 with English grain both are small, narrow and mean looking, but they 

 lie close, weigh heavy, are generally in good hard condition and of 

 excellent feeding value. Mixed with them there is generally to be seen a 

 small quantity of minute black seeds which detract considerably from 

 their appearance ; the proportion is, however, exceedingly small, and 

 although these seeds are rejected by horses they do not seem to exert 

 any harmful influence on the quality of the feed generally. In judging 

 Russian oats one should remember that the thin, silky-skinned varieties 

 are naturally of a brighter yellow colour than is usual in others. 



Ccmadiaii a?id U?iited States. — The imports from Canada and U.S.A. Canadian 

 are generally of medium quality and weight, with rather more beard ^"d 

 and length than is seen in the home grown article ; but if in good United 

 condition the best samples are excellent feeding and have a very large „^fg^^ 

 market. 



Genua?!. — The best German oats resemble the rough variety of German 

 Russian, while others again are not unlike Canadian of moderate quality, o^ts. 

 They do not as a rule weigh heavily, but are generally imported in good 

 condition. 



Turkish. — Are usually of a nut brown colour, said to be due to the Turkish 

 soil on which they are grown. They are remarkable in possessing un- oats. 

 usually thick, tough husks, which gives them a bold appearance not 

 borne out by their weight. Coming as they do from a dry, hot climate, 

 they are generally in very good hard condition. 



Australia}! and Neiv Zealand. — Resemble our own, from which Austra- 

 indeed they have been produced, and they are often of the very highest 1'^" ^"d 

 quality and weight. Some Australian oats grown from Turkish seed ^^^ , 

 have the characteristics of these latter and are said to be especially ^^^^ 

 useful for sowing in extremely dry districts. 



Indian. — The oats now grown in India (originally from English seed), Indian 

 are, compared with our own, extremely poor in appearance ; small ; light oats. 

 and heavily bearded, with a large proportion of husk ; and although 

 judged by our standard they could only be considered inferior, experience 



