STUDIES ON OAT BREEDING. 



129 



of the results in different years indicate clearly that in these 

 pure lines we are dealing with strains which are innately 

 superior to the best varieties we have been able to obtain. 



The practical significance of using varieties with even a 

 slightly increased yield is shown by a simple calculation. On the 

 average about 140,000 acres of oats are grown in this State 

 each year. If half of this .average could be planted to varieties 

 which would yield only two bushels per acre more than those 

 now grown it would mean at the price of 50 cents per bushel 

 an annual increase of $70,000.00 to the farmers of the State 

 over and above what they are now receiving. 



Yield of Straw and Other Characters. 



Table 9 gives the three year average yield of straw per acre 

 for each line also the average weight per measured bushel and 

 the average days to maturity. In addition to this the average 

 yield of grain as given in table 7 is repeated for comparative 

 purposes. 



Table 9. 



Average Yield of Straw and Other Characters. 



PURE LINES TESTED EOR THREE YEARS. 



Line Number. 



Grain. 



Bus. per 



acre. 



Straw. 



Lbs. per 



acre. 



Weight per 



measured 



bushel. 



Days to 

 maturity. 



Maine 340 



86.6 

 84.5 

 83.8 

 81,2 

 80.5 

 80.0 

 79.9 

 79.9 

 79.5 

 78.1 

 77.9 

 77.4 



3584 

 3907 

 3443 

 3652 

 4019 

 3007 

 3424 

 3794 

 3384 

 3767 

 3909 

 3394 



36.8 

 39.7 

 37.7 

 38.0 

 39.3 

 37.9 

 37.2 

 38.7 

 38.6 

 38.2 

 36.7 

 36.8 



107 

 103 



Maine 281 



107 



Maine 351 



107 



Maine 337 



103 



Maine 230 



107 



Maine 307 



106 



Maine 336 



106 



Maine 346 



104 



Maine 247 



104 



Maine 286 



106 



Maine 357 



109 









80.8 



3607 



38.0 



106 







From this table it may be noted : 



(i) That there is no definite relation between the yield of 

 straw and grain. 



(2) The varieties giving the largest amount of straw are 

 337, 286 and 340. These are pretty evenly distributed over 

 the table in which the lines are arranged in the order of their 

 yield of grain. 

 3 



