XVI. OATS AND OTHER CEREAL CROPS 



History. Unlike wheat, the cultivation of oats was unknown to 

 the ancient Hebrews, Greeks, and Romans. We have good grounds 

 for believing that oats were cultivated in the east temperate por- 

 tions of Europe and possibly in western Asia by the prehistoric 

 inhabitants of those countries, but this in all probability was 

 long after the appearance of wheat and barley. As civiliza- 

 tion advanced the production of oats became more and more 

 important. Oats stand third in acreage and value, but second in 

 the number of bushels, in the cereals of the United States. 



Yield per Acre. In most of the Northern States forty to fifty 

 bushels is about the average yield, although in many places sixty 

 to seventy-five bushels is not unusual. In the South Atlantic 

 division the yield is often less than ten bushels and rarely exceeds 

 twenty bushels to the acre. The average annual yield for the 

 whole United States is about twenty-eight bushels to the acre. 

 It is a profitable crop clear to the seacoast in all the States border- 

 ing on the Gulf. 



Varieties. The winter varieties are grown principally south of 

 the 37th parallel and the spring varieties north of that line as 

 far as the 65th parallel, but seed have been known to mature as 

 far north as Alaska. 



Kinds of Soil Needed. Almost any tillable soil will produce a 

 fair crop under favorable climatic conditions if proper cultivation 

 is given. Oats thrive best in moist cool climates like that of 

 Scotland. 



Cultivation. Plowing for oats need not be so deep as for wheat 

 and corn, but the seed bed should be put in thorough condition. 

 Heavy rollers and other heavy compacting tools are to be avoided, 

 but a light roller will be found beneficial if run over the ground 

 either before the oats have come up or just after. Light harrowing 

 is also beneficial, especially when a hard crust has formed on the 

 ground. 



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