Agricultural Research in New Hampshire 25 



mate limits grain growing to small grains. Of these, oats are the most 

 popular and appear to be best adapted. 



With the exception of loose smut, oat diseases do not seem to be a 

 serious hindrance. Hence, a wide selection of varieties is possible, if 

 treated for this disease. It is important, therefore, to determine the va- 

 rieties that have the ability to produce high yields in this climate. 



In general, the Canadian varieties have stood up very well in our 

 tests. In 1944, Ajax stood highest among all the varieties tested, yielding 

 nine bushels more than New Victory which was second. Upright was 

 third, \"icland fourth and Vanguard fifth. There were only five bushels 

 per acre of difference between second and fifth place. Farmers in the 

 area prefer a high-yielding, tall-stra\\ed variety, so they can shift from 

 grain to forage if need be. For this reason short-strawed oats like Mcland 

 have not achieved too much popularity so far in spite of their disease re- 

 sistance. 



As a result of these tests two farmers are attempting to produce seed 

 oats this year, one Ajax, the other \'anguard. 



The test is being continued with 15 oat and two barley varieties in 

 1945. 



P. T. Blood, F. S. Prince 



Variety Trials with Oats and other Small Grains 



Oats. Thirty varieties and strains of oats were planted at the Bun- 

 ker Farm on May 10, 1944. Each variety was replicated three times in 

 randomized rod rows spaced two feet apart. T\\'ent\'-five of these varie- 

 ties were furnished by the United States Department of Agriculture and, 

 therefore, were similar to the uniform trials in the other Northeastern 

 states. Five local varieties were added because they had shown some 

 promise in the past. A large number of the varieties wtTC of the new 

 disease-resistant sort, some of \\hich. have not been named. \^arieties 

 used as checks were Gopher, Erban, Victory and Lenroc which have 

 been commonly grown in New Hampshire. AH "checks," except Erban, 

 show no disease-resistance but generally are good grain yielders. 



The oats were cut by hand from August 7 to August 14 as they 

 ripened. Each ro\\' was weighed separately to get the forage yield and 

 then the grain was threshed out by use of a "header." The grain from 

 each row was bagged, dried, and later cleaned in the laboratory. 



The 1944 oat yields did not show the differences in yield that were 

 so evident for the 1943 season. This was because 1944, in contrast to 

 1943, \\"as not an "oat disease" }'ear. In 1944, the non-disease resistant 

 varieties yielded just as well as did the new disease-resistant varieties. 



In 1943, the average yield per acre was 52.4 bushels of grain when 

 disease ^^■as prevalent; whereas, in 1944, the average yield was 66.21 

 bushels with no disease but with much less seasonal rainfall. Disease- 

 resistant oats offer better assurance of good yields over a period of years 

 since no one can determine in advance an oat-disease year. It is well to 

 point out that the forage yield data are not too reliable for 1944. There 

 was some variation in the desrree of maturitv M'hen the different rod rows 



