184 FIELD CROPS 



right time in their development, makes oats a very productive 

 crop in these states. The average yield to the acre for the 

 ten year period (1902-11) in Washington was 47.6 bushels; 

 Montana, 43 bushels; Idaho, 41.7 bushels; and Utah, 41.5 

 bushels. In comparison with these figures, the average yield 

 for the entire United States was 29.35 bushels to the 

 acre, while that of the five states of largest total production 

 ranged from 26.2 to 33 bushels. Naturally, much higher 

 yields than any of these averages indicate are obtained in all 

 of the states; returns of from 150 to 200 bushels to the acre 

 have been recorded in some of the North Pacific and Rocky 



IOWA ^^^^^^i /* 50 % 



/** mm^^m^^mmmmmn^^^^^m^ 14.04 % 

 MS. * 



MINN. HH^HMHM^^HHHH^HHH IB. O8 % 



NEBR. mmi^mmi^^mm^^mmmmm jo.52% 



I NO. MHHMMMBBHMMMHI 9.81% 

 N-Y. ^^MMKMHi 8.40% 

 MICH. ^MH^^HI^MM^MMH W.36% 



N.DAKM^^mm^^^^mmmmtm 8.67% 



U.S. ^^^^ 



Fig. 62. The percentage of improved farm land in oats in each of the ten 

 states of largest production, and in the United States, 1902-1911. 



Mountain states, while in the upper Mississippi Valley crops 

 of from 50 to 75 bushels to the acre are obtained in favorable 

 years. The average, however, is kept down by unfavorable 

 seasons, and by the crops grown on poor soil and on poorly 

 prepared land. 



THE PRODUCTION OF THE CROP 



227. The Best Soils for Oats. The best soils for oats 

 are those which warm up early in the spring, thus aiding 

 early seeding and germination, and helping to mature the 

 crop before hot weather. As oats draw more heavily on the 

 soil moisture than most of the other grain crops, a good oat 



