40 BULLETIN 336, U. S. DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE. 



severe winter of 1911-12. The average yield for the four years is 8 

 bushels less than that of C. I. No. 273. 



From the records at Arlington Farm and College Park in 1912, the 

 Culberson appears to rank next in hardiness to the Winter Turf. It 

 matures early, produces good yields of grain and straw, and because 

 of its hardiness is apparently one of the best varieties for growing in 

 this locality. This variety makes a heavier growth of straw and leaves 

 than the Bicknell or Red Rustproof and is to be preferred to those 

 varieties for the production of hay. 



Red Rustproof. — -The Red Rustproof is supposed to have been 

 developed from Avena sterilis, a species of wild oat which is native to 

 the countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. This variety has 

 been grown for many years in the southern United States. Its origin 

 is not definitely known, though probably it was imported from 

 southern Europe. Numerous names have been applied to the Red 

 Rustproof and selections from it. These names include Texas Red 

 Rustproof, Texas Red, Appier, Bancroft, Cook, Hundred Bushel, 

 and Lawson. Some of the selections probably are superior to the 

 original variety. 



The Red Rustproof has stiff, rather short straw, with small, short, 

 branched heads. The kernels are large, are almost always awned, 

 and usually bear basal bristles. The second kernel in the spikelet, 

 which is only slightly smaller than the first, usually bears a weak awn. 

 The awns, basal bristles, and the long points of the lemmas prevent 

 the kernels from packing closely and hence cause the weight per 

 bushel of this variety to be low. They also make it difficult to sow 

 with the grain drill, as the seed does not feed freely. The average 

 weight per bushel at Arlington Farm was 27.3 pounds, as compared 

 with 33 pounds for the Culberson and 33.6 pounds for the best strains 

 of the Winter Turf in the same years. The Red Rustproof ripens at 

 about the same time as ' the Bicknell and two or three days earlier 

 than the Culberson. 



The Red Rustproof is the oat which is most commonly grown from 

 both fall and spring seeding in the Southern States. In the vicinity 

 of Washington, D. C, it is near its northern limit of winter hardiness, 

 as was shown by the low yield produced at Arlington Farm in 1912 

 and the total failure at College Park that year. In favorable or even 

 in ordinary years the Red Rustproof produces yields as good as or 

 better than those of the Culberson and Winter Turf. In severe win- 

 ters this variety may be expected to winterkill almost completely. 



At College Park the only lot of Red Rustproof which was grown 

 more than one year was C. I. No. 518. This strain produced a low 

 yield in 1908, good yields in 1909, 1910, and 1911, and was a total 

 failure in 1912. It was not grown in 1913 and 1914. At Arlington 

 Farm two unselected lots of the Red Rustproof, C. I. Nos. 256 and 548, 



