38 



BULLETIN 336, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



the varieties, though the Winter Turf is several clays later than any 

 of the others. The average height of the Bicknell, Culberson, and 

 Red Rustproof is about the same, 34 inches at Arlington Farm and 

 35 to 38 inches at College Park. The Winter Turf is about 4 inches 

 taller than the other varieties at both places. The Winter Turf has 

 produced the highest yields of straw and the Bicknell the highest 

 weight per bushel. The Red Rustproof has been lowest both in yield 

 of straw and in weight per bushel. 



Descriptions of the more important varieties and selections are 

 given in the following paragraphs. Heads of these varieties are 

 shown in figure 5 . 



Fig. 5. — Heads of four varieties of winter oats grown at the Maryland Agricultural Experiment Station 

 and at Arlington Farm: 1, Culberson; 2, Bicknell; 3, Winter Turf; 4, Red Rustproof. 



Bicknell. — The Bicknell oat, C. I. No. 206, was obtained from 

 Argentina by the United States Department of Agriculture in 1902, 

 through Mr. F. W. Bicknell. The panicles are small and rather dense. 

 The short, buff kernels are usually very plump, so that the weight per 

 bushel is high. This variety is one of the earliest to mature, usually 

 ripening about June 12 to 15. The Bicknell has yielded slightly 

 more than any other variety for the six years it has been grown at 

 College Park, where it has produced quite consistently high yields 

 every year. At Arlington Farm the original variety has averaged 

 10.2 bushels less and the best selection 4.43 bushels less in a 4-year 

 test than the highest yielding variety in the test, which was a Red 



