OATS 



23 



Enemies 



29. Weeds. — The same 

 weeds are troublesome in oats 

 as in wheat. Chief among 

 these is cheat or chess. The 

 use of clean seed, that has been 

 carefully fanned and screened, 

 is the best means of avoiding 

 weed pests. 



In purchasing seed oats, care 

 should be taken that they con- 

 tain no seed of Johnson-grass. 



30. Fungous diseases of 

 oats. — Chief among diseases 

 caused by fungi is rust, for 

 which there is no treatment. 

 The Red Rust-proof variety 

 and its various strains are the 

 most rust-resistant varieties, 

 but even these are not entirely 

 exempt. Rust is worse in 

 damp weather. 



Oat smut (Fig. 8). — This 

 disease usually reduces the 

 yield of oats 10 to 20 per cent. 

 Unlike rust, it is entirely under 

 the control of the farmer. 

 It appears as blackened heads 

 in which no grains develop, 

 but in the place of which are 



Fig. 8. — Oats destroyed by 



Smut. 



