1905.] Experiments with Varieties of Oats. 219 



Experiments with oats were carried out in 1903-4 by the 

 Morayshire Farmers' Club in co-operation with the Department 



, A , of Agriculture of the University of 



Experiments with . , , 



Varieties of Oats. Aberdeen. 



The growing of oats is an important 

 feature of Morayshire farming, and these experiments were 

 organised with the purpose of assisting the members of the 

 Morayshire Farmers' Club to choose among the recently intro- 

 duced varieties of oats those most suitable for local circum- 

 stances. The southern seaboard of the Moray Firth grows oats 

 of fine quality, much in demand for seed and milling, and 

 probably in few parts of Scotland is a larger proportion of grain 

 sold off the farm. The trials were carried out on three farms 

 selected to represent three types of soil common in the Moray 

 lowlands, and the season was favourable except at one 

 place, which suffered from the excessive rainfall. The crops 

 were secured in good condition on all the farms. 



The table below shows the average quantity of total grain, 

 the average quantity of dressed grain, and the percentage of 

 light grain for each variety. 





Average Quantity 



Average Quantity 



Percentage of 



Variety. 



of Total Grain. 



of Dressed Grain. 



Light Grain to 



Bushels of 42 lb. 



Bushels of 42 lb. 



Total Grain. 





Bushels. 



Bushels. 



Per cent. 



Banner 



88 



83 



5 



Goldfinder ... 





81 



5 



Siberian 



85 

 8i£ 



79i 



6 



Newmarket 



77h 



4 



Waverley 



8o| 



75* 



6 



Storm King 



761 



72| 



5 



Potato 



72 



63i 



12 



Sandy 



63i 



5o| 



19 



Banner produced 32 bushels more of first quality grain than 

 Sandy, and 20 bushels more than Potato. The superiority of the 

 "new " varieties is clear, but shows better when the dressed grain 

 only is considered. In other words, the new varieties give a larger 

 proportion of good grain as well as a heavier total yield. There is 

 little to choose between Waverley and Newmarket, nor between 

 Siberian and Goldfinder. Although differences in the soil at 

 the different farms had, apparently, little effect on the relative 

 production of the varieties as regards grain, this was not the 



