152 FIELD CROP PRODUCTION 



for soiling purposes. When used for hay, they should be 

 cut when the grains are in the dough stage. Oat hay is 

 very palatable and possesses high feeding value. The 

 quality and feeding value is greatly improved, however, 

 if field peas are seeded with the oats. The rate of seeding 

 and time of cutting this combination crop is discussed 

 in the paragraph on field peas. Oats may be used to 

 supply quick temporary pasture for all kinds of stock, 

 and when grown for that purpose or for hay, a large 

 growing, broad leafed variety should be selected. 



PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION 



138. The world's production. — The world's produc- 

 tion of oats in bushels is greater than that of any other 

 cereal, but on account of the lighter weight per bushel 

 is exceeded in total number of pounds by corn and wheat. 

 The world's annual production for the five years 1907- 

 1911 is approximately 4000 million bushels, or slightly 

 greater than the amount of corn and wheat grown. Of 

 this amount the United States produced the largest amount, 

 having an average annual production of 945 million 

 bushels. During the same period European Russia 

 produced annually 885 miUion bushels, Germany, 585 

 million bushels, Canada, 315 million bushels, France, 

 303 million bushels, and Austria-Hungary, 254 million 

 bushels. Other countries in which the crop is important, 

 but which, on account of their smaller acreage, do not 

 have a large total production, are the United Kingdom, 

 Belgium, Denmark, and Sweden. 



139. Production in the United States. — In the United 

 States oats rank second to corn in the number of bushels 

 produced, but are exceeded in value by corn, cotton, hay, 

 and wheat. A large proportion of the oat crop of the 



