20 
BULLETIN 39, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
given the State an average profit of -16 per cent during the decade. 
On this basis there has been one season, 1911, when oats were pro- 
duced at an average loss of 63 per cent and two other seasons, 1908 
and 1910. when there was very little gain. The data are presented 
in detail in Table VII : 
Table VII. — Annual and average acreage, acre yield, and total production of 
oats in South Dakota for the 10 years from 1903 to 1912, 1 inclusive. 
Year. 
Area. 
Yield per 
acre. 
Produc- 
tion. 
Year. 
Area. 
Yield per 
acre. 
Produc- 
tion. 
1903 
Acres. 
706, 000 
713,000 
721,000 
1,275,000 
1,325,000 
1, 365, 000 
Bushels. 
38.6 
39.0 
39.0 
36.4 
24.7 
23.0 
Bushels. 
27, 267, 000 
27,825,000 
-28,104,000 
46,410,000 
32, 728, 000 
31.395,000 
1909 
Acres. 
1,559,000 
1,550,000 
1,540,000 
1,550,000 
Bushels. 
27.9 
23.0 
7.4 
33.8 
Bushels. 
43,566,000 
1904 
1910 . 
1905.. 
1911 
1912 
11,396,000 
52,390,000 
1906 
1907 
Average. . 
190S. 
1,230,400 
29.3 
33,673,100 
1 Data supplied by the Bureau of Statistics, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. 
For the 5-year period from 1907 to 1911 the climatic conditions 
were much less favorable than during the four years immediately 
preceding. In 1912 the season was again favorable to the produc- 
tion of oats. Climatic conditions have been the main factor causing 
variation in yield. It is thus apparent how important it is to have 
BROOWNGS 
S/XTY-DAY. 
SWED/SH SELECT.. 
L/A/COLM 
BELYAK. 
3AWMER- 
s/xty-day. 
swed/sh 'select.. 
L/MC-OLM. 
BELYAX. 
BAA/A/E/P. 
HKE 33.0 3V. 
^BL32.0&cr 
29. 63V. 
rt/&/-//^ro&E 
I 22.9 3V. 
n^ra 26.7 bc/. 
/9.73V. 
ETSTI 23.73V. 
■ Z0.93V. 
Fig. 6. — Diagram showing the average production in bushels to the acre of the leading 
varieties of oats grown at Brookings and Highmore, S. Dak., for the seven years from 
1906 to 1912, inclusive. The vertical line indicates the yield estimated as necessary to 
cover the cost of production. 
adapted varieties of oats. These best respond to favorable condi- 
tions or best resist unfavorable ones, so that, on the average, for a 
period of years, they are able to produce the best yields of grain of 
good quality. 
VARIETAL TESTS. 
The results of trials of a number of varieties of oats at the various 
stations in South Dakota are presented in Table VIII. The Banner 
variety (S. Dak. Xo. 116, C. I. No. 160). which is included in these 
tests, is typical of the oats quite generally grown in the State. With 
this variety for comparison the reader can form an accurate idea of 
the value of the better varieties and of the result if more attention 
were given to the growing of the best ones. In this table the annual 
