CEREAL GRASSES. 33 



Blainslie Oat resembles the last, but its grains are 

 more plump and round. It ripens earlier, and so is bet- 

 ter adapted for late districts. 



Drummond Oat has strong stems not easily bending 

 but shorter; its seeds are rounder and seldom awned; it 

 ripens a week earlier than the Angus Oat, and seldom 

 sheds its seeds. It is much cultivated in the central dis- 

 tricts of Scotland. There are several other good varieties 

 of Late White Oats described in Lawson's ' Manual/ 



Black Tartarean Oat has long stems, the ear is placed 

 at one side, and the produce is very abundant. The grain 

 is long, black, and not much awned ; the meal is of excel- 

 lent quality, but seldom fair, because of the difficulty 

 of excluding minute portions of the black husk. Very 

 much appreciated by horses ; it is even said, that when 

 accustomed to black oats they refuse the white. The 

 straw is very inferior for fodder. 



Common or Old Black Oat has spreading ears, shorter 

 straw, shorter and heavier grain. This old variety is 

 now much neglected, it is well suited for peaty soils. 



Common Dun Oat has tall, stiff stems, and seeds shad- 

 ing from black to white, being black at the base, brown 

 in the middle, and white at the summit. The grain is 

 large, long, well-filled, and heavy, and the straw is bet- 

 ter for fodder than the Black Tartarean. On clay soils it 

 retains its form and ^colour, and is very prolific, but it 

 deteriorates on light soils. 



Winter Dun Oat has a very rigid ear, scant in seeds. 

 It is very hardy, enduring the severest frosts; its seeds 

 are coloured like the last-mentioned variety, but the 

 quantity and quality of the meal is inferior. It is much 

 cultivated in the north-west of France, and also in the 

 south of England as a winter-crop. 



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