170 HARVESTING AND UTILIZING THE OAT CROP 



of the stack must be carried upward in rather straight lines, some- 

 what independent of the outer tier or two, which are kept loose. 

 The center of the stack should be well bound in by careful overlap- 

 ping, and well tied across the center. Sometimes a long stake (six 

 to eight feet) or two is driven in the center, to better bind the center 

 bundles. 



DISEASES AND INSECTS AFFECTING OATS 



Oat Smut and Rust. ^The nature and control of oat smut have 

 been described (Chapter XIX). While smut does enormous dam- 

 age to the oat crop, its injury is probably small compared with the 

 damage inflicted by rust. There is no effective method of combating 

 rust. There are two forms, known as the crown or red rust, and 

 stem rust. The rusts usually appear in early summer, or about the 

 latter part of June. If the weather is humid and warm they spread 

 very rapidly. Heavy dew and a thick, heavy growth of foliage, 

 that prevents drying, favors the spread of rust. 



Ordinarily, early sown oats and early varieties are least injured, 

 as the leaf and stem tissues may become tough and well matured be- 

 fore the rust becomes general. Certain varieties show considerable 

 rust resistance, as the so-called red rust-proof varieties of the South, 

 although when these varieties are sown as winter oats, their early 

 maturity avoids much damage from rust. . 



Spikelet blight is very common in some seasons. The lower 

 spikelets, sometimes one-half of the head, turn white and are barren. 

 The cause is not understood nor is a remedy known. 



Blade blight occurs usually early in the season, and is charac- 

 terized by a yellowing and final dying of the leaves. It is supposed 

 to be a bacterial disease, and no remedy is known. It should not be 

 confused with the yellowing due to poor nutrition, which often takes 

 place on wet land or soil in poor physical condition. 



UTILIZING THE OAT CROP 



Most of the oat crop is utilized as stock feed, especially for horses. 

 It has no important use in the arts. A small amount is manufactured 

 into oatmeal. The only commercial by-product is the oat hulls, from 

 oatmeal mills. 



Data are collected each year and reported in the Yearbook of the 



