THE HOUSE 105 



their husks. The husks should preferably be thin, 

 because thin-skinned oats will necessarily contain 

 more Hour per bushel than oats which are thick- 

 skinned. All the grains in a good sample should 

 be much of the same size, and should be of a 

 short, plump variety rather than long and thin. 

 Of course, the shape and color of the grain de- 

 pend, to a certain extent, on the particular variety 

 of oat under consideration ; but, as a broad rule, 

 it may be laid down that as black oats grow on 

 inferior soils, and as long, thin seeds are usually a 

 characteristic of common, unimproved varieties, 

 preference should be given to plump white oats, 

 which, moreover, are thinner skinned than black 

 ones. The sample should be free from weed seeds. 



Oats which are darkened or reddish in color, 

 or which are shriveled at the ends of the husks, 

 or w^hich have a peculiar smell and taste, should 

 be suspected of being kiln dried, and rejected ac- 

 cordingly. Damp, musty, or mouldy oats are, of 

 course, unfit for food. 



It is never advisable to buy crushed oats, as the 

 grain used is likely to be of inferior quality. If 

 crushed oats are desired, the whole grain should 

 be bought, and (if not crushed in a hand-mill at 

 home) taken to the miller, and crushed under su- 



