THE OAT CROP. 135 



at that early period. This fact, combined with the known 

 hardiness of its constitution, leads others to look upon it 

 as a plant more likely of northern origin ; for it is culti- 

 vable up to the most northern latitudes. Yet, in all the 

 countries which have been visited, no trace of its wild 

 prototype has been discovered. Our evidence is certainly 

 very defective in regard to the early history of oats. 

 None of the Koman agricultural writers mention it ; and 

 yet we find in Roman history, indications of its cultivation 

 from the story of the Emperor Caligula feeding his fa- 

 vourite horse with gilt oats served in a golden manger. 

 The wide range of soils that oats possess, and the com- 

 paratively low temperature under which they come to their 

 maturity, have rendered them well adapted to the cultiva- 

 tion of high latitudes, and especially for insular climates. 

 If we draw a line across this country we should find that 

 north of York the oat thrives better than, in the southern 

 half, where the comparative dryness of the air and the 

 higher temperature of the climate render it more suitable 

 for the cultivation of wheat and barley. In Scotland we 

 find oats cultivated to its northern extremity, lat. 58 40'. 

 In Sweden they are met with as a crop as far as lat. 6330'. 

 In Norway their cultivation is pushed still farther north- 

 ward to lat. 65; and in Russia their polar limit corre- 

 sponds with that of rye about 62 32' N. lat. If we 

 turn southward, we find the climate becoming gradually 

 less and less suited for them. This is well marked 

 within the limits of our own country. South of the 

 parallel of Paris 48 50' N. lat., we rarely see oats in culti- 

 vation. In Spain and Portugal they are hardly known at 

 all ; yet they are cultivated successfully in Bengal, in lat. 

 25 . 1 Here probably the moisture of the soil compensates 



1 At the New York Exhibition, 1853, a sheaf of oats was exhibited with 

 other agricultural produce from California, 30 N". lat., which measured 

 10 feet, 3 inches in height, the heads averaging from 22 to 28 inches in length. 



