4 



SOUTBEBN FIELD CROPS 



Fig .3. — Oat Spike- 

 let IN Bloom. 



Showing 2 outer 



Each spikelet (Fig. 3) consists of two or more flowers, 

 of which usually only two develop into perfect grains. 

 Those that usually develop are the 

 two grains nearest to the branch, the 

 nearer or lower one being almost invari- 

 ably the larger seed. Hence an oat 

 spikelet may be said to consist in most 

 instances of twin grains which may or 

 may not be separated in threshing. 



The third flower coming from the 

 branch somet mes develops into a small 

 grain, but more frequently it is abortive, 

 or undeveloped. 



6. The grain. — Each grain consists 

 pieces of chaff inoios- of a nearly cylindrical kernel and of 

 Ze 'corai^rl ^ iiiclosing hull. This hull is tightly 

 pollen eases (anthers) wrapped about the kernel, and is usu- 

 mal^ '''"""■"''" '*'^' ally not removed in threshing; but the 

 two parts are not grown together, as 

 shown by the fact that by pinching the grain between the 

 fingers the inner part can readily be forced out, free from 

 any hull. 



In most states the legal weight of a bushel of oats is 32 pounds. 

 A measured bushel usually weighs 30 to 36 pounds. Oats are sold 

 by the bushel of legal -weight. 



Saunders found that in the cool climate of Canada oats germi- 

 nated well even when the seeds were three years old, after which 

 time the percentage of germination rapidly decreased. 



Composition 

 7. Analyses. — According to Hunt ("Cereals in Amer- 

 ica ") the average of American analyses is as follows: — 



