OAT 



these differ only in colour, they 

 are not considered as distinct spe- 

 cies. 



The white oats which are most 

 commonly cultivated in this coun- 

 try, are generally preferred in 

 otlier countries, as producing the 

 best crops. But 1 suspect that 

 sufficient trials have not yet been 

 made here, in the culture of the 

 black oats. The produce of them 

 from a few corns sown in a gar- 

 den, has been astonishing. But 

 this might be owing to the new- 

 ness of the seed in our climate, or 

 to some circumstance less conside- 

 rable, or less obvious. 



There is also a species of the 

 naked oats. This, one would 

 think, must have the advantage of 

 other oats, as it is threshed clean 

 out of the husk, fit for grinding. 

 But with this grain we are yet un- 

 acquainted. 



I have lately met with the Tar- 

 tary oats, which resemble our 

 white oatG, but differ in their man- 

 ner of growing. They bear very 

 plentifully : But are rather apt to 

 lodge. 



Oats cannot be sown too early 

 in the spring, after the ground is 

 thawed, and become dry enough 

 for sowing. The English farmers 

 sow them some time in February. 

 But in a wet soil they sometimes 

 answer very well, though sowed in 

 June. 



Three bushels of seed is the 

 usual quantity sown on an acre. 

 This quaiitity sa)' some will bo 

 rather more than enough on a rich 

 soil. If the soil be poor, the quan- 

 tity of seed should be the greater, 

 say they, as the plants will be 

 38 



OAT 



f 

 297 



smaller, will not tiller ; and so 

 may stand the nearer each other 

 without crowding. But this is a 

 matter of opinion only, and may 

 be a mistake. 



Oats have strong piercing roots, 

 and are called hearty feeders, so 

 that they can find their nourish- 

 ment in stiff soils ; and for the 

 same reason they sometimes pro- 

 duce great crops when sown after 

 one ploughing. But two plough- 

 ing, are generally better for them 

 than one. 



When they are cultivated ac- 

 cording to the new husbandry, they 

 should be sown in double rows, 

 fifteen inches apart, on beds six 

 feet wide. For they will grow 

 taller than wheat, and therefore 

 require more room. One bushel 

 of seed will be sufficient for an 

 acre in this way. Some advise to 

 brining and liming the seed ; but 

 this may as well be omitted, unless 

 when they are sowed late. It may 

 serve in this case to quicken their 

 growth. 



Oats should be harvested in a 

 greener state than other grain. 

 The straw should not be wholly 

 turned yellow. It will be the bet- 

 ter fodder, if it do not stand till it 

 be quite ripe and sapless. Mr. 

 Cook, an F^nglish writer, recom- 

 mends cutting them about four or 

 five days before the state of ripe- 

 ness •, and says they will improve 

 ^^y b'f'o ^"^ ^^^ ground. But if 

 they be quite ripe when they are 

 cut, they will be apt to shed out 

 by lying. 



Though they should be well 

 dried on the ground after cutting, 

 they should not be raked, nor 



