150 FIELD CROP PRODUCTION 



to reduce the percentage of hull and increase the weight 

 per bushel. The standard weight per bushel for clipped 

 oats in most markets is 45 pounds. 



135. Types of oats. — Oats may be divided according 

 to the appearance of the panicle into two classes, spreading 

 or open, and side or closed. In the spreading sort the 

 branches of the panicle stand out at different angles from 

 the rachis, giving the panicle an open appearance, while 

 in the side oats the branches grow more or less upright, 

 giving a closed appearance, and are arranged on one side 

 of the rachis. The spreading type is the more commonly 

 grown. Oats may also be classified into spring and winter 

 varieties. The winter varieties, like winter wheat, are 

 seeded in the fall and harvested the next summer. Winter 

 varieties are gro'«Ti only in sections of the country having 

 mild, open winters, like those prevailing in the Southern 

 States and along the Pacific Coast. Oats are sometimes 

 divided into early, medium, and late varieties, based upon 

 the time of ripening. Usually the early varieties have 

 short straw and small grains, while the later varieties 

 grow taller and as a rule have larger and plumper grains. 

 Sixty-day and Burt are well-kno-mi early varieties, while 

 the Swedish Select, Siberian, Big Four, and American 

 Banner are the more common medium and late varieties. 

 On the market, oats are classified according to the color 

 of the grain, as white, black, and mixed oats. 



USES OF OATS 



136. The grain as food. — By far the greater part of 

 our oat crop is used for feeding live stock. Oats are 

 relatively high in protein and are therefore useful for 

 feeding to young animals, as they furnish a large amount 

 of muscle-building material. They have long been held 



