CHAPTER XXXI 



STUDY OF OATS 



General Problems. What varieties of oats, and what 

 methods of culture seem best adapted to soil and weather 

 conditions in the vicinity of the school ? 



Begin the work with a study of the grain. Note its 

 shape, size, and color. Compare different varieties in 

 regard to these points. Remove the hull and compare 

 the grain with those of wheat and rye. 



Ask each pupil to bring in a handful of seed oats, or 

 oats from the granary. Test these for purity. To do this 

 have the pupils spread their samples on a sheet of paper 

 or on the table. Look closely for foreign bodies of any 

 sort. Are there any weed seeds? Can you identify any 

 of these? Put all the weed seeds and trash in one pile and 

 all the oats in another. About what per cent of your 

 sample is oats ? If you wish to be exact, weigh the sample 

 before spreading it out, then weigh the pure oats and com- 

 pute per cent, of purity. 



What other characteristic do you want your seed oats 

 to have? The most important quality of all is their 

 power to germinate. To test this place some moist sand 

 or soil in a dinner plate, or box. Select one hundred seeds 

 from your sample. Scatter these over the sand, not allow- 

 ing any two to touch each other. With your finger press 

 gently each grain so that it \vill rest firmly in the sand, but 



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