iS2 Summary of Agricultural Experiments, [may, 



way : Thirty-two oat seeds were sown at the same distance apart, 

 under the same conditions, and at the same rate per acre as the seeds 

 for a field crop, with the idea that a detailed examination of the 

 matured produce of these 32 seeds would not only make plain the 

 characteristics of the oat, but also throw light on the peculiarities 

 displayed by the corresponding - field crop grown alongside. These 

 32 seeds were enclosed in a bottomless iron frame fixed in the ground 

 level with the surface. During 1905, 429 of these " frame experi- 

 ments " were carried out on 33 farms with 27 varieties of oats. The 

 results show that mortality in the grain-producing varieties is naturally 

 high, but naturally low in the case of the straw-producing Scotch oats. 

 The grain-producing varieties are quickest of growth in early life, and 

 are more affected by sudden changes in moisture or in temperature 

 than the more backward, and therefore hardier, Scotch varieties. On 

 soils that foster rapid growth, whether from manuring or other causes, 

 the dangers from sudden changes are intensified. This action of the 

 soil could be traced in the varying rates of mortality on different farms, 

 being very high on some farms (30 to 47 per cent.), on others very 

 low (3 to 9 per cent.), and although one variety of oat is more hardy 

 than another, the unfavourable action of the conditions on certain 

 farms is marked by a higher mortality of all the varieties grown there. 

 The average mortality in 1905 of some of the varieties was as 

 follows :— Potato, 9 per cent. ; Sandy, 14 per cent. ; Tartar or Storm 

 King, 16 per cent.; and Waverley, 11 per cent. These figures were 

 lower than those obtained in 1900. 



In the same way as with the mortality, the tillering power varies 

 with the variety and with the farm. Generally speaking, it was 

 increased by appropriate manuring. The average results in 1905 

 showed that 162 shoots were produced per 100 plants, while Sandy 

 produce 206, Potato 162, Waverley and Tartar King each 130. 



As regards the proportion of mature straws to barren shoots, the 

 average result for all the farms showed that four-fifths of the total 

 number of shoots became mature straws, and one-fifth remained 

 immature and more or less grass-like. 



Another point investigated was the straw length for different 

 varieties. The average taken from maximum straws, measured from 

 3 inches above the ground to the tip of the ear, was 40 inches. Certain 

 varieties were much more influenced by manure than others, Sandy 

 and Banner showing little difference, whereas in Danish Island and 

 Wide-awake an increase of 4 to 10 inches in length was obtained by 

 manuring. The effect of environment was decidedly marked, the same 

 variety giving long straws on some farms and very short straws on 

 other farms. Another influence is that of season, the length in 1905 

 being less than in 1900. 



The bore of the straw was also determined, and it is remarked 

 that the noteworthy point is that bore and length increase together 

 in certain varieties, and this characteristic enables the oat grower to 

 apply manures freely in these cases without increasing the danger of 

 "lodging," whereas varieties such as Sandy cannot stand heavy 

 manurial applications, because the bore and the standing power do 

 not keep pace with the change in the straw and ear. 



The old varieties, such as Potato and Sandy, are longer-eared and 



