BULLETIN l--^5. 



VARIETY TESTS OF OATS. BARLEY. WHEAT 



AND RYE. 



OATS. 



The average annual production of oats in New Hampshire 

 for the first eight years of the present decade has been, in round 

 numbers, 400,000 bushels. As compared with the 4,500,000- 

 bushel yield of IMainc. our neighbor on the east, and with the 

 3.000,000-bushel yield of Vermont, our neighbor on the west, 

 our own production seems rather small, as in fact it is, consider- 

 ing the opportunities for growing the crop which our soils and 

 climate afford. 



With a view of determining what varieties were most suitable, 

 what might be their comparative yields, and what would seem 

 to be the limiting factors in production in this state, the New 

 Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station began a series of 

 tests in 1904 with the common varieties of oats offered for sale 

 by New England seedsmen. 



In all the field tests for the several years reported on the fol- 

 lowing pages the same kind and amount of fertilizers has been 

 used. The following mixture of chemicals, containing 3.75 per 

 cent, nitrogen, 10.75 per cent, phosphoric acid and 5 per cent, 

 potash was applied each year at the rate of 400 pounds per acre 

 at seeding time : 



Nitrate of Soda, 200 pounds 



Sulphate of Ammonia, 100 pounds 



Tankage, "6-30" Grade, 500 pounds 



Acid Phosphate, 1,000 pounds 



Muriate of Potash, 200 pounds 



The oats were in all cases sown as early in the spring as the 

 ground could be prepared at the rate of 2 bushels per acre, the 



