258 NATURE STUDY AND AGRICULTURE 



Decide what kind you have growing in your field. Look 

 at one of the small flowers. Can you find stamens and 

 pistil ? 



How long does it take the grain to form after the 

 flowers have opened ? When are the grains ripe? What 

 change in color takes place as the grain ripens? What 

 part of the plant begins to change color first ? When the 

 leaves have turned yellow they can no longer do their 

 work. Which leaves continue their work longest? How 

 many good grains in one head of oats ? Do you find any 

 heads with smut on them ? How has the smut affected the 

 development of the grain ? What is the color of the smut 

 spores? Can you determine in any way what pecentage? 

 of the field is affected with smut? Count the number of 

 blasted heads and also the good heads in ten hills in one spot 

 in the field. Do the same in five other spots and com- 

 pute the per cent. Do you find any spots of rust on the 

 leaves ? Does this seem in any way to affect the develop- 

 ment of the plant? 



How many different kinds of weeds are there in the oats 

 field? Can you determine which are annual and which 

 perennial ? Are there any that ripen their seeds about the 

 time the oats are harvested? Do you find any weeds just 

 above the surface of the ground when the oats are cut? 

 Do these develop rapidly after harvest ? 



Can you find any insects on the oats? Look for the 

 green aphids. Are there any ladybug beetles and their 

 young feeding upon the aphids? 



