AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRIES 155 



stance as an acre of corn. It is produced on all 

 grades of soil and under a much wider range of 

 climate than is corn. Its successful growth reaches 

 further up on the hills and further north in the 

 State than does corn. One reason why oats have a 

 large place is that the seasons are a little short to 

 start a fall crop such as wheat or rye after a summer 

 tilled one. Oats may be put on early in the following 

 spring. Another reason is its value as feed and when 

 ground with corn it is a standard constituent of ra- 

 tions for horses, poultry, and to a considerable ex- 

 tent for cattle. 



Oats grow best in a cool moist climate which is 

 common in Xew York. They respond to the better 

 soils and the best average yields, 30 bushels or more 

 to the acre, occurred in 1909 in the same region in 

 which the best yields of corn are secured. Monroe 

 Cbunty produces 35, Ontario and Genesee 33, Living- 

 ston 31, Wyoming and Seneca 30 bushels. However, 

 Chenango County, in the center of the State, produces 

 33 bushels and Franklin in the extreme north 30 

 bushels. The southern tier of counties have yields 

 around 20 bushels or below, doubtless reflecting the 

 less productive soils of the hills where it is one of the 

 common grain crops. Oats are widely used as a nurse 

 crop for seeding grass. The acreage of oats has held 

 its own or slightly increased over that of 1880. 



Wheat occupies about half the acreage of corn, 

 around 300,000 acres. Its production is almost en- 

 tirely confined to the two tiers of counties directly 

 south of Lake Ontario. It is pushed back from the 



