Description of the Wild Oat. 185 



oat is dry, it is generally twisted closely 

 upon itself, but when it is moistened by 

 dew or rain, it slowly uncoils. This uncoil- 

 ing of the twisted awn causes the seed to 

 sprawl and spring about upon the ground, 

 and is a means of forcing the seed into the 

 ground in damp weather. The grain of the 

 wild oat is light, being composed chiefly of 

 hull, and it is therefore of but little value 

 as a feed. 



The resemblance of the wild oat to other 

 cereals before heading is so close that when 

 it grows along with them it is impossible 

 to detect its presence without very careful 

 scrutiny. It matures its seeds earlier than 

 nearly all the varieties of the useful cereals, 

 but of course not so much so in the case of 

 fall wheat as of the. spring cereals; hence 

 it is especially troublesome in the localities 

 where cereal crops are much grown. It is 

 very troublesome, too, from the fact that it 

 begins to shed its seeds upon the ground 

 as soon as ripe, and the operation of har- 

 vesting the crops amid which it grows 

 greatly helps it to shed its seeds. It is a 

 very hardy plant, and will endure adverse 

 conditions of soil and weather in a remark- 

 able degree, but its seeds will not germinate 



