28 A YEAR IN AGRICULTURE 



dies are set up in shocks of ten to twelve bundles each. 

 Thrash from the shock as soon as they have dried out, or 

 from the stack as in the case of wheat. 



Uses of oats. The greater part of the oat crop is used for 

 feeding live stock. They are relatively high in protein, the 

 muscle-building material, and are therefore valuable for young 

 animals, and for feeding horses at heavy work. Oats have 

 long been used as a human food, in the form of oatmeal or 

 ground oats. Oats straw is very valuable for feeding live 

 stock. It is frequently used as roughage for keeping stock 

 over winter. It is also valuable for bedding. Oafs may also 

 be used to supply quick temporary pastures for all kinds of 

 live stock. 



Smut of oats. The most destructive disease that attacks 

 the oats is the loose smut. It may be recognized in the field 

 by the black powdery spores that attack the heads and pre- 

 vent the grain and the glumes from developing. The cov- 

 ered smut is a similar disease, affecting only the kernels of 

 the oats, which are displaced by black spore masses. Methods 

 for controlling these smuts are described in the practical 

 exercises and home projects of this chapter. 



NOTEBOOK QUESTIONS 



1. How does the value of the oats crop in your com- 

 munity compare with that of other grain crops? 



2. What are the common returns per acre for oats in 

 your community ? What should reasonably be expected under 

 improved conditions of soil, seed, etc.? 



3. Why are oats seeded as early as possible in the spring? 



