Issued November 8,1910. 
 
 U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
 
 FARMERS’ BULLETIN 420. 
 
 OATS: 
 
 DISTRIBUTION AND USES. 
 
 BY 
 
 C. W. WAKHURTON, 
 
 Agronomist in Charge of Oat Investigations , 
 Bureau of Plant Industry. 
 
 WASHINGTON: 
 
 GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. 
 
 1910. 
 
LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL 
 
 U. S. Department of Agriculture, 
 
 Bureau of Plant Industry, 
 
 Office of the Chief, 
 
 IF ashing ton, D. C., August 20, 1010. 
 
 Sir: I have the honor to transmit and to recommend for publica¬ 
 tion as a Farmers’ Bulletin the accompanying manuscript, entitled 
 “ Oats: Distribution and Uses,” prepared by Mr. C. W. Warburton, 
 Agronomist in Charge of Oat Investigations, under the direction of 
 Mr. M. A. Carleton, Cerealist in Charge of Grain Investigations. 
 
 Statistical figures of the production and value of the oat crop are 
 given, the market grades are described, and the uses and composition 
 of the grain, straw, and other products of the plant are discussed. 
 The publications of the state agricultural experiment stations and of 
 other bureaus of this Department have been freely used in the prep¬ 
 aration of this manuscript, which is supplementary to Farmers’ Bulle¬ 
 tin 424, entitled “Oats: Growing the Crop.” It is believed that the 
 information here presented will be of general interest and value to 
 farmers. 
 
 Respectfully, G. II. Powell, 
 
 Acting Chief of Bureau. 
 
 lion. James Wilson, 
 
 Secretary of Agriculture . 
 
 420 
 
 2 
 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 Introduction. 
 
 Production and distribution of the oat crop 
 
 World production of oats. 
 
 Production of oats in the United States 
 
 Marketing oats. 
 
 Home consumption. 
 
 Preparation for market. 
 
 Legal weight. 
 
 Market grades. 
 
 Exports and imports. 
 
 Composition of oats. 
 
 Proportion of grain to straw. 
 
 Proportion of kernel to hull. 
 
 Chemical analyses. 
 
 Digestibility. 
 
 Utilization of the grain. 
 
 Use of oats as human food. 
 
 Feeding the grain to stock. 
 
 Use of oat by-products. 
 
 Utilization of the straw. 
 
 Use as hay and pasture and for soiling. 
 
 Use as a nurse crop and as a cover crop.... 
 Summary. 
 
 Page. 
 
 5 
 
 5 
 
 5 
 
 7 
 
 11 
 
 11 
 
 12 
 
 12 
 
 12 
 
 14 
 
 14 
 
 14 
 
 15 
 
 16 
 
 17 
 
 18 
 18 
 
 19 
 
 21 
 
 21 
 
 21 
 
 23 
 
 23 
 
ILLUSTRATIONS. 
 
 Page. 
 
 Fig. 1. Diagram showing the proportion of the total oat crops of the United 
 
 States for the ten years 1900-1909 produced by the different States.. 9 
 
 2. Map of the United States, showing the percentage of the total acreage 
 
 of each State devoted to oats for the ten years 1900-1909. 9 
 
 3. Map of the United States, showing the mean yield of oats, in bush¬ 
 
 els per acre, for the ten years 1900-1909 . 10 
 
 4. Map of the United States, showing the mean acre value of oats on 
 
 December 1 for the ten years 1900-1909 . 11 
 
 420 
 
 4 
 
B. P. I.—613. 
 
 OATS: DISTRIBUTION AND USES. 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 The utilization of a crop and its by-products to secure the best 
 returns presents problems almost equal in importance to those in¬ 
 volved in its economical and profitable production. The grower 
 should be familiar with the production and value of the crop in other 
 sections and in other countries, with the grades into which it is usually 
 classified on the market, and with the uses which can be made of it. 
 In the case of a grain crop largely used for feeding to farm animals, 
 he should know its nutritive value as compared with similar crops, 
 as well as the digestibility of the matter contained in the grain and 
 other products. The object of this bulletin is to supply information 
 along these lines regarding oats. The methods of growing and har¬ 
 vesting this crop are discussed in another publication of this series.® 
 
 PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE OAT CROP. 
 
 WORLD PRODUCTION OF OATS. 
 
 The production of oats is practically confined to the Temperate 
 Zones. The crop does best in cool, moist climates and will not thrive 
 in the warmer regions unless the water supply is ample. It reaches 
 its best development in Norway, Sweden, Germany, Great Britain, 
 and Canada, and in the United States in Washington, Idaho, and 
 Montana. Good spring oats are seldom produced in the southern 
 part of the United States or in southern Europe, while the northern 
 limit of production is near the Arctic Circle, in Norway and Alaska. 
 The crop is very generally grown in the central and northern por¬ 
 tions of the North Temperate Zone. 
 
 a Oats: Growing tlie Crop. Farmers’ Bulletin 424, TJ. S. Dept, of Agriculture, 
 1910. Other publications relating to oats which may be obtained free upon re¬ 
 quest to the Secretary of Agriculture, Washington, D. C., are: The Prevention 
 of Stinking Smut of Wheat and Loose Smut of Oats, Farmers’ Bulletin 250, 
 U. S. Dept, of Agriculture, 1900: Sixty-Day and Kherson Oats, Farmers’ Bul¬ 
 letin 395, U. S. Dept, of Agriculture, 1910; and Improvement of the Oat Crop, 
 Circular 30, Bureau of Plant Industry, 1909. 
 
 420 
 
 5 
 
6 
 
 oats: distribution and uses. 
 
 The world production of oats in bushels is greater than that of 
 either corn or wheat, but as its weight per bushel is much less, the 
 total production in pounds is smaller than that of either of those 
 crops. The average annual world production of oats for the five 
 years 1905-1909 was 3,094,702.000 bushels (see Table I) ; of corn, 
 3,443,169,000 bushels; and of wheat, 3,330,789,000 bushels. The actual 
 world production of all these crops, particularly of oats and wheat, 
 is considerably larger than these figures show, no statistics being- 
 available for South America and for a large part of both Asia and 
 Africa. The production of oats in Africa is small, but in South 
 America and in some portions of Asia for which no figures are pub¬ 
 lished it is considerable. The 1909 crop of the world was about one- 
 fifth larger than that of any of the previous four years, reaching a 
 total of 4,295,805,000 bushels. For the five years the average Euro¬ 
 pean production of oats was 2,393,705,000 bushels, or practically two- 
 thirds of the crop of the world. Russia, Germany, France, and 
 Austria-Hungary are the leading European countries in the pro¬ 
 duction of oats, as shown in Table II. North America produced 
 1,172,124,000 bushels, nearly four-fifths of which were produced in 
 the United States. 
 
 Table I. —Annual and average ivorld produetion of oats, bg eontinents , for the 
 
 five gears 1905-1909. a 
 
 Continent. 
 
 1905. 
 
 1906. 
 
 1907. 
 
 1908. 
 
 1909. 
 
 Average. 
 
 North America... 
 
 Europe. 
 
 Asia. 
 
 Africa. 
 
 Australasia. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Bushels. 
 1,195,761,000 
 2,192,855, 000 
 85,398,000 
 12,077,000 
 24,076, 000 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 1,225,056,000 
 2,188,632.000 
 80,072. 000 
 14,797,000 
 23,913,000 
 
 Bushels. 
 9S3,677, 000 
 2,466,795,000 
 85,507,000 
 16,805,000 
 25,596,000 
 
 • 
 
 Bushels. 
 1,073,199,000 
 2, 338,312,000 
 107,308,000 
 12,838,000 
 24,970,000 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 1,382,928, 000 
 2,781,932,000 
 78,105,000 
 16,743,000 
 36,157,000 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 1,172,124,000 
 2,393,705,000 
 87,278,000 
 14,652,000 
 26,943,000 
 
 3,510,167, 000 
 
 3,532,470, 000 
 
 3,578,380,000 
 
 3,556,627, 000 
 
 4,295, 865,000 
 
 3,694,702,000 
 
 a This table and those which follow have been compiled from publications of the Bureau 
 of Statistics, U. S. Dept, of Agriculture. 
 
 Table II. —Leading eountries of the world in the produetion of oats, with their 
 annual and average produetion for the fire gears 1905-1909. 
 
 Country. 
 
 1905. 
 
 1906. 
 
 1907. 
 
 1908. 
 
 1909. 
 
 Average. 
 
 United States. 
 
 European Russia. 
 
 Germany. 
 
 France. 
 
 Canada . 
 
 Austria-Hungary. 
 
 United Kingdom. 
 
 Asiatic Russia. 
 
 Sweden. 
 
 Bushels. 
 953,216,000 
 851,667,000 
 451,017,000 
 269,581,000 
 242,528, 000 
 210,899,000 
 171,527,000 
 84,995,000 
 58,488, 000 
 
 Bushels. 
 964,905,000 
 633,291,000 
 580,875,000 
 256,943,000 
 260,134, 000 
 251,368,000 
 180,384,000 
 79,713,000 
 61,550,000 
 
 Bushels. 
 754,443,000 
 822,084, 000 
 630,324,000 
 303,889, 000 
 229,217,000 
 256,838,000 
 189,478,000 
 85,176,000 
 64,597.000 
 
 Bushels. 
 807,156,000 
 834,518,000 
 530,131,000 
 285, 837,000 
 266,026, 000 
 222,062,000 
 181,555,000 
 106, 898, 000 
 72,773, 000 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 1, 007, 353,000 
 1,067,668,000 
 628,718, 000 
 339,743, 000 
 375,558, 000 
 274,392,000 
 184,528,000 
 77,705, COO 
 69,292,000 
 
 Bushels. 
 897,415,000 
 841,846,000 
 564,213,000 
 291,199,000 
 274,695,000 
 243,112,000 
 181,494,000 
 86,897,000 
 65, 940, 000 
 
 420 
 
oats: distribution and uses. 
 
 7 
 
 PRODUCTION OP OATS IN THE UNITED STATES. 
 
 The oat crop ranks fifth in value among the farm crops of the 
 United States, being exceeded by corn, cotton, wheat, and hay. It is 
 third among the cereals, being exceeded only by corn and wheat. 
 The acreage devoted to oats is slightly larger than the cotton acreage 
 and is much smaller than that of the other crops mentioned. The 
 1909 oat crop, slightly over 1,000,000,000 bushels, was about 275,000,000 
 bushels larger than the wheat crop of that year, but the value was 
 only $408,000,000, as compared with $730,000,000 for wheat. The 
 corn crop of 1909 was valued at $1,050,000,000. or more than four 
 times as much as the oat crop. The farm value of all cereals for 1909 
 was estimated at $3,000,000,000, of which amount the oat crop repre¬ 
 sented about 13 per cent. 
 
 The average production of oats in the United States for the ten 
 years from 1900 to 1909 was 809,954,000 bushels, produced on 
 29,043,000 acres. The corn crop for the same period was 
 2,453,109,000 bushels, grown on 95,028,000 acres, and the wheat crop 
 059,509,000 bushels, produced on 40,078,000 acres. 
 
 The rapid increase in the production of oats since 1870 is shown in 
 Table III. The crop of 1909 was the largest yet grown, both in 
 area, 33,204,000 acres, and in yield, 1,007,353,000 bushels. These 
 figures are more than three times the annual acreage and production 
 of oats from 1870 to 1879. According to a recent estimate, l.G per 
 cent of the total land area of the United States was devoted to oats 
 during the ten years 1900-1909, as compared with 1.2 per cent during 
 the ten years preceding, and 2.5 and 5 per cent devoted to wheat and 
 corn, respectively. 
 
 Table III. — Acreage, production, and value of oats in the United States, by ten- 
 
 year periods, from 1870 to 1909. 
 
 Period. 
 
 Acreage 
 sown and 
 harvested. 
 
 Mean 
 yield per 
 acre. 
 
 Production. 
 
 Mean 
 farm 
 price per 
 bushel, 
 Decem¬ 
 ber 1. 
 
 K 
 
 Farm value, 
 December 1. 
 
 1870-1879. 
 
 Acres. 
 11,076,892 
 21.996,375 
 
 Bushels. 
 28.4 
 
 Bushels. 
 314,441,178 
 584, 395, 839 
 698,158,388 
 869, 953, 989 
 
 Cents. 
 
 33.7 
 
 SI03,206,495 
 180,866,412 
 189,469,553 
 306,072, 805 
 
 1880-1889. 
 
 26.5 
 
 32.0 
 
 1890-1899. 
 
 26' 666,691 
 
 26.2 
 
 27. 8 
 
 1900-1909. 
 
 29; 613,072 
 
 29. 5 
 
 35.5 
 
 
 
 The average acreage and production and the mean yield per acre 
 of oats for the United States for the ten-year period 1900-1909 are 
 shown in Table IV. The States are arranged according to their 
 rank in production. The mean farm value per bushel and per acre 
 on December 1 and the average annual farm value are also shown 
 in this table. More than half of the total crop for this period, or 
 
 420 
 
8 
 
 oats: distribution and uses 
 
 446,105,000 bushels annually, was produced in. the five leading 
 States—Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Nebraska. 
 
 Table IV.— Acreage, production, and value of the oat crop in the United States 
 for the ten years 1900-1909, the States arranged according to their rank in 
 production, a 
 
 Rank. 
 
 State. 
 
 Acreage. 
 
 Mean 
 yield 
 per acre. 
 
 Production. 
 
 Mean 
 farm 
 price per 
 bushel, 
 Decem¬ 
 ber 1. 
 
 Total farm 
 value, 
 December 1. 
 
 Mean 
 value 
 per acre, 
 Decem¬ 
 ber 1. 
 
 1 
 
 Illinois. 
 
 Acres. 
 
 3,893,790 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 31.2 
 
 Bushels. 
 
 121,107,519 
 
 Cents. 
 
 33.8 
 
 $40,248,459 
 
 $10.25 
 
 2 
 
 Iowa. 
 
 4,059,200 
 
 29.5 
 
 119,140,836 
 
 30.1 
 
 35,418,873 
 
 8.66 
 
 3 
 
 Wisconsin. 
 
 2,347,416 
 
 33.3 
 
 78,487, 509 
 
 34.5 
 
 26,493,005 
 
 11.24 
 
 4 
 
 Minnesota. 
 
 2,243,815 
 
 31.7 
 
 70,784,631 
 
 31.1 
 
 21,859,728 
 
 9.62 
 
 5 
 
 Nebraska. 
 
 2,128,438 
 
 26.4 
 
 65,644, 291 
 
 30.1 
 
 16,608,106 
 
 7.73 
 
 6 
 
 Indiana. 
 
 1,504,744 
 
 29.0 
 
 43,012, 800 
 
 33.8 
 
 14,368,780 
 
 9.49 
 
 7 
 
 Ohio. 
 
 1,285,602 
 
 33.2 
 
 42,007, 577 
 
 36.4 
 
 15,215,832 
 
 11.79 
 
 8 
 
 New York. 
 
 1,306,344 
 
 31.3 
 
 40,797,664 
 
 43.4 
 
 17,374,513 
 
 13.44 
 
 9 
 
 Michigan. 
 
 1,161,260 
 
 31.6 
 
 35,994,019 
 
 37.0 
 
 13,327,118 
 
 11.41 
 
 10 
 
 Pennsylvania. 
 
 1,141,057 
 
 29.3 
 
 33,525,321 
 
 41.7 
 
 13,558, 694 
 
 12.03 
 
 11 
 
 North Dakota. 
 
 1,044,031 
 
 29.7 
 
 31,392,559 
 
 31.2 
 
 9,666,039 
 
 8.98 
 
 12 
 
 South Dakota. 
 
 951,553 
 
 31.6 
 
 29,353, 752 
 
 30.3 
 
 9,003, 065 
 
 9.33 
 
 13 
 
 Kansas ... . 
 
 1,013,902 
 
 24.4 
 
 24,835,354 
 
 34.8 
 
 8,281,639 
 
 8.23 
 
 14 
 
 Texas . 
 
 798,442 
 
 27.8 
 
 22,712, 303 
 
 48.2 
 
 10,242,235 
 5,963,903 
 
 12.71 
 
 15 
 
 Missouri. 
 
 759,245 
 
 23.4 
 
 17,714,100 
 
 35.2 
 
 7.98 
 
 16 
 
 Oklahoma^. 
 
 480,303 
 
 29.4 
 
 13,872,095 
 
 37.7 
 
 5,202,283 
 
 10.58 
 
 17 
 
 Oregon . 
 
 273,214 
 
 30.0 
 
 8,316,130 
 8,286,963 
 
 43.7 
 
 3,663,797 
 
 13.18 
 
 18 
 
 Montana. 
 
 187,164 
 
 43.3 
 
 41.9 
 
 3,521,286 
 
 18.14 
 
 19 
 
 Washington. 
 
 163,667 
 
 46.3 
 
 7,693, 716 
 
 42.8 
 
 3,330,028 
 
 19. 86 
 
 20 
 
 Colorado. 
 
 146,059 
 
 35.3 
 
 5, 208, 991 
 
 47.4 
 
 2,501,761 
 
 16.76 
 
 21 
 
 Kentucky. 
 
 239,696 
 
 21.0 
 
 5,053,044 
 
 41.6 
 
 2,000, 321 
 
 8.60 
 
 22 
 
 California. 
 
 159,061 
 
 31. 2 
 
 5,038,567 
 
 55.9 
 
 2,877,245 
 
 17.61 
 
 23 
 
 Georgia. 
 
 291,986 
 
 15.3 
 
 4,500,511 
 
 60.3 
 
 2,755,622 
 
 9. 33 
 
 24 
 
 Maine. 
 
 118,952 
 
 37.1 
 
 4,402,672 
 
 48.8 
 
 2,136,252 
 
 18. 00 
 
 25 
 
 Arkansas. 
 
 215,173 
 
 20.0 
 
 4,278,428 
 
 47.0 
 
 1,948,183 
 
 9.34 
 
 26 
 
 Idaho . 
 
 99,871 
 
 41.7 
 
 4,242,563 
 
 45.1 
 
 1,940,498 
 
 IS. 82 
 
 27 
 
 Virginia. 
 
 209,237 
 
 17.6 
 
 3,598,184 
 
 44.8 
 
 1,603,720 
 
 7.93 
 
 28 
 
 Tennessee. 
 
 188,094 
 
 19.4 
 
 3,588,663 
 
 43.7 
 
 1,557,242 
 
 8. 54 
 
 29 
 
 South Carolina. 
 
 209,212 
 
 17.1 
 
 3,564,592 
 
 61.9 
 
 2,226,572 
 
 10.75 
 
 30 
 
 Alabama. 
 
 225,032 
 
 15.6 
 
 3,509,503 
 
 57.6 
 
 2,038,473 
 
 9.05 
 
 31 
 
 North Carolina. 
 
 226,458 
 
 14.8 
 
 3,325,908 
 
 53.6 
 
 1,767,868 
 
 8.00 
 
 32 
 
 Vermont. 
 
 81,456 
 
 36.0 
 
 2,929,547 
 
 47.5 
 
 1,370,036 
 
 16. 97 
 
 33 
 
 West Virginia. 
 
 94,735 
 
 22.1 
 
 2,082,669 
 
 45.1 
 
 926,602 
 
 9.91 
 
 34 
 
 Mississippi. 
 
 116,685 
 
 16.7 
 
 1,914,119 
 
 56.2 
 
 1,081,705 
 
 9.38 
 
 35 
 
 New Jersey. 
 
 66,699 
 
 28.0 
 
 1,862,924 
 
 43.6 
 
 792,514 
 
 12.13 
 
 36 
 
 Utah. 
 
 45,642 
 
 40.3 
 
 1,835, 042 
 
 47.5 
 
 877,053 
 
 19.13 
 
 37 
 
 Wyoming. 
 
 50,153 
 
 35.9 
 
 1,804,042 
 
 46.8 
 
 854,105 
 
 16.77 
 
 38 
 
 Marvland. 
 
 38,778 
 
 25.1 
 
 961,902 
 
 41.1 
 
 381,427 
 
 10. 32 
 
 39 
 
 Louisiana. 
 
 31,042 
 
 16.9 
 
 523,677 
 
 51.2 
 
 268,463 
 
 8. 65 
 
 40 
 
 New Hampshire. 
 
 14,346 
 
 32.3 
 
 464, 032 
 
 50.0 
 
 225,391 
 
 16.10 
 
 41 
 
 New Mexico. 
 
 14,951 
 
 29.9 
 
 460,160 
 
 59.0 
 
 278,489 
 
 17.57 
 
 42 
 
 Florida. 
 
 31,196 
 
 13.5 
 
 421,248 
 
 64.5 
 
 273,872 
 
 8.82 
 
 43 
 
 Connecticut. 
 
 11,156 
 
 31.9 
 
 354, 863 
 
 47.4 
 
 164,526 
 
 15.05 
 
 44 
 
 Massachusetts. 
 
 7,543 
 
 33.1 
 
 252, 495 
 
 49.9 
 
 122,532 
 
 16.45 
 
 45 
 
 Nevadac. 
 
 6,416 
 
 38.2 
 
 248,502 
 
 63.3 
 
 160, 939 
 
 24.28 
 
 46 
 
 Delaware. 
 
 5.554 
 
 25.3 
 
 134,244 
 
 42.8 
 
 54, 693 
 
 10.96 
 
 47 
 
 Arizona c. 
 
 2, 243 
 
 33.0 
 
 75,633 
 
 68.1 
 
 52,633 
 
 22.52 
 
 48 
 
 Rhode Island. 
 
 1,954 
 
 29.4 
 
 57,745 
 
 50.7 
 
 28,230 
 
 14. 58 
 
 
 United States^.... 
 
 29,643,072 
 
 29.5 
 
 869,953,989 
 
 35.5 
 
 306,072,805 
 
 10.26 
 
 ° The mean yield per acre, price per bushel, and value per acre in this table are aver¬ 
 ages of the annual figures rather than computations from the average acreage, production, 
 and farm value for the ten-year period. 
 
 b The Oklahoma figures are for nine years, 1901-1909, and include Indian Territory 
 previous to the admission of the State. 
 
 c The Nevada and Arizona figures are for nine years. 
 
 Does not include estimates for Indian Territory, Nevada, and Arizona for the year 1900. 
 
 The five States leading in the production of oats for the ten-year 
 period 1900-1900 were Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and 
 Nebraska. The diagram (fig. 1) shows the proportion of the total 
 crop of the United States grown in each of the States producing 
 more than 10,000,000 bushels. The sixteen States shown on this dia- 
 
 420 
 
OATS : DISTRIBUTION AND USES. 
 
 9 
 
 gram grew nearly 90 per cent of the total crop. Illinois and Iowa 
 each produced nearly II per cent, while approximately 9, 8, and 6 
 per cent were produced in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Nebraska, re- 
 
 /3.92% 
 /3. 69% 
 
 msmSSSmBSB^Baa^BSBSOk 4.33% ' 
 
 SOAK 
 HANS. 
 TEX. 
 MO. 
 OH LA. 
 ALL OTHER: 
 
 Fig. 1 
 
 
 4.69% 
 4 / 4 %/ 
 3.65% 
 
 3.6/% 
 
 '/ 
 
 8 3.36% ' 
 
 2.65% 
 
 BBBBBm 2 . 6 /% 
 
 2.04% 
 
 /.S9% 
 
 /O. 30% 
 
 Diagram showing the proportion of the total oat crops of the United States for 
 the ten years 1900-1909 produced by the different States. 
 
 r 
 
 Fig. 2.—Map of the United States, showing the percentage of the total acreage of each 
 State devoted to oats for the ten years 1900—1909. In the States included in the 
 unshaded portion less than 1 per cent of the area is devoted to this crop; in the 
 lightly shaded portion, from 1 to 5 per cent ; and in the heavily shaded portion, more 
 than 5 per cent. Where no figures are given, less than one-tenth of 1 per cent is 
 devoted to oats. 
 
 spectively. In acreage devoted to oats Iowa slightly exceeds Illinois. 
 
 Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Nebraska follow in the order named. 
 
 Figure 2 shows the percentage of the total area of each State annu- 
 
 59506°—Bull. 420—10-2 
 
10 
 
 oats: distribution and uses. 
 
 ally devoted to oats in the ten years 1900-1909. In Iowa the crop 
 was grown on 11.4 per cent of the area and in Illinois on 10.9 per 
 cent. Only two other States, Indiana and Wisconsin, devoted more 
 than 5 per cent of their area to oats. As previously stated, 1.6 per 
 cent of the total acreage of the United States was annually devoted to 
 oats during this period. In Maine, Vermont, New York, Wisconsin, 
 Montana, and Wyoming the acreage devoted to oats exceeds the com¬ 
 bined acreage of both wheat and corn. It exceeds the wheat acreage 
 in the other New England States and in Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, 
 Louisiana, Michigan, Illinois, and Iowa, but is exceeded by the corn 
 acreage in these States. The acreage in oats exceeds that devoted to 
 corn in Minnesota and North Dakota and in all of the Rocky Moun- 
 
 Fig. 3.—Map of the United States, showing the mean yield of oats, in bushels per acre, 
 for the ten years 1900-1909. In the unshaded portion the mean yield is less than 25 
 bushels ; in the lightly shaded portion, from 25 to 35 bushels ; and in the heavily shaded 
 portion, more than 35 bushels. 
 
 tain and Pacific Coast States, but it is exceeded by the wheat acreage. 
 The corn acreage exceeds that in oats in Arizona and New Mexico. 
 
 Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota rank in the order named 
 in the total annual value of their oat crops. New York, on account 
 of the high price per bushel, 43.4 cents, ranks fifth, though exceeded 
 in production by Nebraska, Indiana, and Ohio. Washington, Mon¬ 
 tana, Idaho, Utah, and Nevada show the highest yield to the acre. 
 In all of these States most of the oat crop is grown under irrigation. 
 Maine, Vermont, Wisconsin, and Minnesota are among the States 
 which show the highest yield without irrigation. In general, the 
 highest yields are found in the Northern and Western States and 
 the lowest in the Southeastern States, as shown in figure 3. 
 
 420 
 
oats: distribution and uses. 
 
 11 
 
 The highest price per bushel and the highest acre value are found 
 in Arizona and Nevada, respectively. In these States practically the 
 entire oat crop is grown under irrigation, so that the cost of produc¬ 
 tion is high. The annual crop in Nevada is only about 250,000 
 bushels, while Arizona produces less than 100,000 bushels. The acre 
 value in Nevada is $24.28, while in Arizona it is $22.52. The leader 
 in acre value among the important States in oat production is Wash¬ 
 ington, with $19.86, followed closely by Utah, Idaho, and Montana. 
 Owing to the high cost of producing the crop under irrigation in 
 these States, however, the net profit to the acre is probably not 
 greater than in some of the States where the acre value is much 
 lower. The acre value of the oat crop in each of the States is shown 
 
 Fig. 4.—Map of the United States, showing the mean acre value of oats on December 1 
 for the ten years 1900-1900. In the unshaded portion the mean value is less than 
 $10 to the acre; in the lightly shaded portion, from $10 to $15; and in the heavily 
 shaded portion, more than $15. 
 
 in figure 4. The highest acre values are found in the New England, 
 Rocky Mountain, and Pacific Coast States. The highest price per 
 bushel is ordinarily found in the South, the low acre value being due 
 to the low yield. In the Central States west of the Mississippi River, 
 where the yield is comparatively high, the low price per bushel is the 
 cause of the low acre value. 
 
 MARKETING OATS. 
 
 HOME CONSUMPTION. 
 
 The greater portion of the oat crop of the United States is fed on 
 the farms where it is grown. According to the figures of the Bureau 
 of Statistics of this Department, in the ten years from 1900 to 1909 
 
 420 
 
12 
 
 oats: distribution and uses. 
 
 28.T per cent of the crop was shipped out of the county where it was 
 grown. The average annual shipment for the ten years was 246,- 
 000,000 bushels. The smallest proportion of the crop shipped out of 
 the county where grown was of the small crop of 1901, 19.5 per cent, 
 and the largest proportion was of the crop of 1909, the largest crop 
 on record, 32.7 per cent. The largest shipment of any one crop was 
 of that of 1909, nearly 330,000,000 bushels. 
 
 PREPARATION EOR MARKET. 
 
 The grade of oats can often be raised by running the grain through 
 a fanning mill, removing the dirt, trash, weed seeds, and light oats. 
 Little attention is paid to the matter of dirt in market oats, however, 
 either at country elevators or at the central markets, so that at pres¬ 
 ent the farmer is hardly justified in cleaning his grain before market¬ 
 ing. Oats are occasionally clipped to increase the weight per bushel 
 and the market price. By this process a portion of the hull is re¬ 
 moved from the tip of the grain, but as special machinery is required 
 it is little used except in elevators. Bleaching with sulphur fumes 
 or other chemical means is sometimes used in elevators to improve 
 the appearance of oats. By this process grain which has been dis¬ 
 colored from weathering or from heating in stack or bin is rendered 
 bright and white in appearance. While it is probable that the 
 bleaching process causes little damage to the feeding value of the 
 grain, its germination is often materially lowered, and bleached or 
 purified grain should never be bought for seed without a satisfactory 
 germination test. As weathering or heating usually diminishes the 
 feeding value of grain, chemically purified grain is ordinarily some¬ 
 what lower in that respect than its appearance indicates. 
 
 LEGAL WEIGHT. 
 
 The legal weight of a bushel of oats is 32 pounds in most of the 
 States. In Maryland it is 26 pounds, while in Virginia and New 
 Jersey it is 30 pounds. The Baltimore Chamber of Commerce and 
 the Richmond Grain and Cotton Exchange, however, use 32 pounds 
 as the weight of a bushel of oats. In Idaho 36 pounds is the stand¬ 
 ard. No legal weight is fixed in Delaware, Nevada, New Mexico, 
 South Carolina, Utah, and Wyoming. In Canada 34 pounds is the 
 legal weight of a bushel of oats. 
 
 MARKET GRADES. 
 
 The market grades of oats differ somewhat in the different grain 
 centers of the country, so no universal standard can be <nven. The 
 following grades have been adopted by the Grain Dealers’ National 
 Association. 0 They are not recommended for general use by the De- 
 
 ° Grades of grain adopted by the Grain Dealers’ National Association at the 
 thirteenth annual convention, held at Indianapolis, Ind., October 6-8, 1909. 
 
 420 
 
OATS : DISTRIBUTION AND USES. 
 
 13 
 
 partment of. Agriculture, but are presented as a matter of general 
 interest to farmers, who are often not familiar with the market 
 grades of grain. 
 
 WHITE OATS. 
 
 No. 1 white oats shall he white, dry, sweet, sound, bright, clean, free from 
 other grain, and weigh not less than 32 pounds to the measured bushel. 
 
 No. 2 white oats shall be 05 per cent white, dry, sweet, shall contain not more 
 
 than 1 per cent of dirt and 1 per cent of other grain, and weigh not less than 
 
 20 pounds to the measured bushel. 
 
 Standard white oats shall be 92 per cent* white, dry, sweet, shall not contain 
 more than 2 per cent of dirt and 2 per cent of other grain, and weigh not 
 less than 28 pounds to the measured bushel. 
 
 No. 3 white oats shall be sweet, 00 per cent white, shall not contain more 
 
 than 3 per cent of dirt and 5 per cent of other grain, and weigh not less than 
 
 24 pounds to the measured bushel. 
 
 No. 4 white oats shall be 00 per cent white, may be damp, damaged, musty, 
 or very dirty. 
 
 Notice. —Yellow oats shall not be graded better than No. 3 white oats. 
 
 MIXED OATS. 
 
 No. 1 mixed oats shall be oats of various colors, dry, sweet, sound, bright, 
 clean, free from other grain, and weigh not less than 32 pounds to the meas¬ 
 ured bushel. 
 
 No. 2 mixed oats shall be oats of various colors, dry, sweet, shall not contain 
 more than 2 per cent of dirt and 2 per cent of other grain, and weigh not 
 less than 28 pounds to the measured bushel. 
 
 No. 3 mixed oats shall be sweet oats of various colors, shall not contain more 
 than 3 per cent of dirt and 5 per cent of other grain, and weigh not less than 
 24 pounds to the measured bushel. 
 
 No. 4 mixed oats shall be oats of various colors, damp, damaged, musty, or 
 very dirty. 
 
 RED OR RUSTPROOF OATS. 
 
 No. 1 red oats, or rustproof, shall be pure red, sound, bright, sweet, clean, 
 and free from other grain, and weigh not less than 32 pounds to the measured 
 bushel. 
 
 No. 2 red oats, or rustproof, shall be seven-eighths red, sweet, dry, and shall 
 not contain more than 2 per cent dirt or foreign matter, and weigh 30 pounds 
 to the measured bushel. 
 
 No. 3 red oats, or rustproof, shall be sweet, seven-eighths red, shall not con¬ 
 tain more than 5 per cent dirt or foreign matter, and weigh not less than 24 
 pounds to the measured bushel. 
 
 No. 4 red oats, or rustproof, shall be seven-eighths red, may be damp, musty, 
 or very dirty. 
 
 WHITE CLIPPED OATS. 
 
 No. 1 white clipped oats shall be white, clean, dry, sweet, sound, bright, free 
 from other grain, and weigh not less than 35 pounds to the measured bushel. 
 
 No. 2 white clipped oats shall be 05 per cent white, dry, sweet, shall not con¬ 
 tain more than 2 per cent of dirt or foreign matter, and weigh not less than 
 32 pounds to the measured bushel. 
 
 No. 3 white clipped oats shall be sweet, 00 per cent white, shall not contain 
 more than 5 per cent of dirt or foreign matter, and w T eigh not less than 30 
 pounds to the measured bushel. 
 
 420 
 
14 
 
 oats: distribution and uses. 
 
 No. 4 white clipped oats shall be 90 per cent white, damp, damaged, musty, or 
 dirty, and weigh not less than 30 pounds to the measured bushel. 
 
 MIXED CLIPPED OATS. 
 
 No. 1 mixed clipped oats shall be oats of various colors, dry, sweet, sound, 
 bright, clean, free from other grain, and weigh not less than 35 pounds to the 
 measured bushel. 
 
 No. 2 mixed clipped oats shall be oats of various colors, dry, sweet, shall not 
 contain more than 2 per cent of dirt or foreign matter, and weigh not less than 
 32 pounds to the measured bushel. 
 
 No. 3 mixed clipped oats shall be sweet oats of various colors, shall not con¬ 
 tain more than 5 per cent of dirt or foreign matter, and weigh not less than 
 30 pounds to the measured bushel. 
 
 No. 4 mixed clipped oats shall be oats of various colors, damp, damaged, 
 musty, or dirty, and w r eigh not less than 30 pounds to the measured bushel. 
 
 Note. —Inspectors are authorized when requested by shippers to give weight 
 per bushel instead of grade on clipped white oats and clipped mixed oats from 
 private elevators. 
 
 PURIFIED OATS. 
 
 All oats that have been chemically treated or purified shall be classed as 
 purified oats, and inspectors shall give the test weight on each car or parcel 
 that may be so inspected. 
 
 EXPORTS AND IMPORTS. 
 
 In the ten years ended June 30, 1909, the average yearly export 
 shipment of oats, including oatmeal, from the United States was 
 slightly less than 18,000,000 bushels annually, or about 2 per cent of 
 the crop. The largest single year's shipment during this period w r as 
 made in the fiscal year ended June 30, 1906, wdien more than 48,000- 
 000 bushels were exported, while the smallest exportation, less than 
 2,000,000 bushels, was made in 1904. The average yearly importa¬ 
 tion of oats, including oatmeal, during the ten-year period w r as 
 772,184 bushels. By far the greater portion of the imports in this 
 decade w T as received in the fiscal year 1909, when 6,691,703 bushels 
 were imported, practically three times the quantity recorded in any 
 previous year since 1865. The next largest importation in the decade, 
 383,418 bushels, Tvas recorded in the fiscal year ended June 30, 1908. 
 The importation of oats is largely confined to grain to be used for 
 seed or, in years of short crops of poor quality, for milling. 
 
 COMPOSITION OF OATS. 
 
 The proportion of grain to straw in the oat plant, the proportion of 
 kernel to hull in the grain, and the chemical composition and digesti¬ 
 bility of the grain, straw, and hay wfill now be discussed. 
 
 PROPORTION OF GRAIN TO STRAW. 
 
 The proportion of grain to straw varies widely in different varie¬ 
 ties of oats, in different seasons, and under different conditions of 
 
 420 
 
oats: distribution and uses. 
 
 15 
 
 growth. Twenty-five varieties of oats in a five-year test at the Ohio 
 Agricultural Experiment Station averaged 44.4 pounds of straw to 
 1 bushel of grain, or slightly more than 1J pounds of straw to 1 pound 
 of grain. The individual varieties varied from a little more than 1 
 to almost 2 pounds of straw to 1 pound of grain. In a publication of 
 this station another average in seven years of 1 pound of grain to 2 
 pounds of straw is reported. 
 
 In Illinois variations from 1.2 pounds to 2.7 pounds of straw to 1 
 pound of grain are reported in different seasons. The Kansas Agri¬ 
 cultural Experiment Station reports a still greater variation of 1.2 
 to 4.1 pounds of straw to 1 pound of grain in different seasons. 
 Under irrigation the usual proportion is about 1 pound of grain to 2 
 pounds of straw. 
 
 PROPORTION OF KERNEL TO HULL. 
 
 Like the proportion of grain to straw T , the proportion of kernel to 
 hull is decidedly variable. Not only is there a great difference in 
 varieties in this respect, but seasonal and soil conditions also have a 
 marked influence. There is no fixed relation between the weight per 
 bushel and the proportion of kernel to hull, though with a given 
 variety greater weight per bushel is usually associated with a greater 
 proportion of kernel to hull. Oats ordinarily contain from 65 to 70 
 per cent of kernel. In very poor samples, however, the kernel may 
 constitute not more than 55 per cent of the grain, and in very good 
 ones it may make up 75 to 80 per cent. The varieties with long, 
 slender grains usually contain a higher proportion of kernel than 
 those with short, thick grains. Small, early varieties, like the Sixty- 
 Day and the Kherson, usually contain a very high percentage of 
 kernel. The Swedish Select, a popular variety in the Northern 
 States, also makes an excellent showing in this respect. 
 
 Seasonal variation in the proportion of kernel to hull is well shown 
 in some determinations made by the writer. Samples of seven 
 varieties grown at the Wisconsin station in 1905 averaged 71.97 per 
 cent of kernel, while the same varieties in 1907, a much poorer year 
 for the production of oats, contained but 66.62 per cent. The varie¬ 
 ties ranged from 69.13 to 78.07 per cent in 1905, and from 63.71 to 
 69.86 per cent in 1907, the variety with the lowest percentage in 1905 
 being highest in 1907. Six varieties of oats grown under irrigation 
 at the Montana station in 1906 averaged 75.79 per cent of kernel, 
 while the following year they averaged 71.81 per cent, though the 
 difference in the average weight per bushel was less than 1 pound in 
 the two years. 
 
 420 
 
16 
 
 oats: distribution and uses. 
 
 CHEMICAL ANALYSES. 
 
 The chemical composition of oats, oat straw, oat hay, and the green 
 plant, together with similar analyses of other grains for comparison, 
 is shown in Table V. 
 
 Table V. —Results of analyses of oats and of oat products, showing the per¬ 
 centage of water and the number of pounds of ash, protein, etc., in 100 pounds 
 of water-free substance, with similar figures for other grains for comparison. a 
 
 
 
 
 Constituents in 100 pounds of dry matter. 
 
 Feed. 
 
 Samples. 
 
 Water. 
 
 Ash. 
 
 Protein. 
 
 1 
 
 Fiber. 
 
 Carbohy- 
 “ d rates. 
 
 Fat. 
 
 Grain: 
 
 Number. 
 
 Per cent. 
 
 Pounds. 
 
 Pounds. 
 
 Pou?ids. 
 
 Pounds. 
 
 Poxinds. 
 
 Oats. 
 
 30 
 
 11.0 
 
 3.3 
 
 13.3 
 
 10.7 
 
 67.1 
 
 5.6 
 
 Wheat. 
 
 310 
 
 10.5 
 
 2.0 
 
 13.4 
 
 2.0 
 
 80.3 
 
 2.3 
 
 Barley. 
 
 10 
 
 10.9 
 
 2.7 
 
 14.0 
 
 3.0 
 
 78.3 
 
 2.0 
 
 Corn. 
 
 208 
 
 10.9 
 
 1.7 
 
 11.8 
 
 2.3 
 
 78.1 
 
 6.1 
 
 Oat products: 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Oat shorts. 
 
 2 
 
 5.4 
 
 3.8 
 
 19.1 
 
 5.7 
 
 65.4 
 
 6.0 
 
 Oat bran. 
 
 2 
 
 6.1 
 
 6.7 
 
 13.0 
 
 19.8 
 
 56.3 
 
 4.2 
 
 Oat dust. 
 
 2 
 
 6.5 
 
 7.4 
 
 14.4 
 
 19.5 
 
 53.6 
 
 5.1 
 
 Oat kernels. 
 
 6 
 
 7.9 
 
 2.2 
 
 16.0 
 
 1.0 
 
 73.1 
 
 7.7 
 
 Oat hulls. 
 
 1 
 
 7.3 
 
 7.2 
 
 3.6 
 
 32.0 
 
 56.1 
 
 1.1 
 
 Straw: 
 
 
 ■ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Oat straw. 
 
 12 
 
 9.2 
 
 5.6 
 
 4.4 
 
 40.8 
 
 46.7 
 
 2.5 
 
 Wheat straw. 
 
 4 
 
 9.6 
 
 4.7 
 
 3.8 
 
 42.1 
 
 48.0 
 
 1.4 
 
 Barley straw. 
 
 97 
 
 14.7 
 
 6. 7 
 
 4.1 
 
 42.0 
 
 45.5 
 
 1.7 
 
 Rye straw. 
 
 7 
 
 7.1 
 
 3.4 
 
 3.2 
 
 41.9 
 
 50.2 
 
 1.3 
 
 Corn stover. 
 
 60 
 
 40.5 
 
 0. 7 
 
 6.4 
 
 33.1 
 
 53.0 
 
 1.8 
 
 Hay: 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Oat hay. 
 
 12 
 
 16.0 
 
 7.3 
 
 8.8 
 
 32.4 
 
 48.3 
 
 3.2 
 
 Oat and pea hay. 
 
 4 
 
 9.8 
 
 8.8 
 
 11.4 
 
 32.7 
 
 44.4 
 
 2.7 
 
 Barley hay. 
 
 Timothy hay. 
 
 4 
 
 10.6 
 
 5.9 
 
 10.4 
 
 26.4 
 
 54.5 
 
 2.8 
 
 68 
 
 13.2 
 
 5.1 
 
 6.8 
 
 33.4 
 
 51.8 
 
 2.9 
 
 Green fodder: 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Oat fodder. 
 
 6 
 
 62.2 
 
 6.5 
 
 8.9 
 
 29.6 
 
 51.0 
 
 4.0 
 
 Corn fodder. 
 
 126 
 
 79.3 
 
 6.8 
 
 8.7 
 
 24.2 
 
 58. 9 
 
 2.4 
 
 Rye fodder. 
 
 7 
 
 76.6 
 
 4 . 4 
 
 11.1 
 
 49.6 
 
 29.1 
 
 2.5 
 
 Red clover..r. 
 
 43 
 
 70.8 
 
 7.2 
 
 15.1 
 
 27.7 
 
 46.2 
 
 3.8 
 
 a The figures in this table have been compiled mainly from Farmers' Bulletin 22, U. S. 
 Dept, of Agriculture. . - 
 
 In Table V the chemical composition of oats is shown in com¬ 
 parison with that of wheat, barley, and corn. The figures show that 
 while oats are higher in crude fiber, due to the hull, the grain contains 
 a high proportion of protein and fat, two very valuable constituents. 
 Although practically one-third of the grain is hull, oats contain as 
 much protein as wheat, nearly as much as barley, and more than 
 corn. They are much higher in fat than either barley or wheat and 
 are higher in ash or mineral matter than any of the other grains. As 
 protein is a flesh-forming element and ash is used in the formation of 
 bones, it can readily be seen why oats are so valuable for feeding to 
 young and growing animals. The percentage of water as given for 
 the different grains is that found in laboratory samples; ordinary 
 commercial samples of all the grains usually show a higher moisture 
 content. 
 
 The table also gives the chemical composition of oat hulls and oat 
 kernels and of several products of the oatmeal industry. While 
 
 420 
 
oats: distribution and uses. 
 
 17 
 
 these oat feeds are not well known, their high feeding value, as 
 shown, indicates that they should be used wherever they are obtain- 
 able at a reasonable price. There is considerable variation in the 
 composition of different varieties of oats and of different samples 
 of the same variety, largely due to differences in the percentage of 
 hull. According to the composition of the kernel and the hull, as 
 given, 100 pounds of a variety with 70 per cent of kernel would have 
 0.57 pound less protein, 1.44 pounds more crude fiber, 0.77 pound less 
 carbohydrates, and 0.305 pound less fat than 100 pounds of a variety 
 with 75 per cent of kernel. 
 
 The analyses of oat straw show that this roughage well deserves 
 its reputation as the best of its class for feeding. In protein and 
 fat it is higher in feeding value than wheat, barley, or rye straw, 
 while in carbohydrates there is little difference. Pound for pound 
 in its natural condition it is also materially better than corn stover, 
 on account of the greater moisture content of the latter, but the dry 
 matter in corn stover is rather richer in food constituents than that 
 in oat straw. 
 
 Oat hay is shown to be slightly inferior to barley hay in feeding 
 value, but it ranks higher than timothy hay in protein and fat, and 
 in consequence is a slightly better feed. Hay made from the bearded 
 varieties of barlev is sometimes not readily eaten bv stock on account 
 of the beards; the waste thus occasioned makes oat hay fully as valu¬ 
 able, ton for ton, as hay made from bearded barley. The composition 
 of several samples of hay made from oats and peas is also shown in 
 the table. While the composition of this hay depends to some extent 
 on the proportion of the two crops in the mixture, its high feeding 
 value is apparent. 
 
 Oats cut green for feeding contain less water than either corn 
 or rye. The superiority of oats over rye for soiling is particularly 
 noticeable, as the oats are much higher in total food value. Green 
 oats compare quite favorably, pound for pound, with green clover. 
 
 DIGESTIBILITY. 
 
 The feeding value of any article depends not only on its chemical 
 composition, but on the digestibility of the matter it contains. It 
 may contain a very high proportion of valuable food material, but 
 part of this material may be in such form that animals are not able 
 to digest it. While the hull of oats contains little that is digestible, 
 it serves to lighten the grain ration and to give bulk, and in that 
 way aids the complete digestion of the grain. As shown in Table 
 VI, oats contain more digestible protein than barley or corn and 
 nearly as much as wheat. This grain is also much higher in fat than 
 barley or wheat, and practically as high as corn. In carbohydrates, 
 the cheapest portion of the food, oats are considerably lower than 
 
 420 
 
18 
 
 oats: distribution and uses. 
 
 any of the other grains. Oat straw ranks much higher in digestible 
 protein and fat than the straw from any of the other grains, and 
 nearly as high in carbohydrates. It contains less protein than corn 
 stover, but more of the other food constituents. Oat hay is higher 
 than timothy hay in all the digestible nutrients. 
 
 Table VI .—Digestible nutrients in oats, oat strain, and oat hag, as compared 
 
 with other grains and grain products. a 
 
 Material. 
 
 Dry 
 
 matter 
 
 Digestible nutrients in ICO 
 pounds. 
 
 in 100 
 pounds. 
 
 Protein. 
 
 Carbo¬ 
 
 hydrates. 
 
 Fat. 
 
 Grain: 
 
 Oats.. 
 
 Pounds. 
 
 89.0 
 
 Pounds. 
 
 9.2 
 
 Pounds. 
 
 47.3 
 
 Pounds. 
 
 4.2 
 
 Wheat. 
 
 89.5 
 
 10.2 
 
 69.2 
 
 1.7 
 
 Barley... 
 
 89.1 
 
 8.7 
 
 65.6 
 
 1. 6 
 
 Corn. 
 
 89.1 
 
 7.9 
 
 66.7 
 
 4.3 
 
 .8 
 
 Roughage: 
 
 Oat straw. 
 
 90.8 
 
 1.2 
 
 38.6 
 
 Wheat straw. 
 
 90.4 
 
 .4 
 
 36.3 
 
 .4 
 
 Barley straw. 
 
 85.8 
 
 .7 
 
 41.2 
 
 .6 
 
 Rye straw. 
 
 92. 9 
 
 .6 
 
 40.6 
 
 .4 
 
 Corn stover. 
 
 59.5 
 
 1.7 
 
 32.4 
 
 .7 
 
 Hay : 
 
 Oat hay. 
 
 91.1 
 
 4.3 
 
 46.4 
 
 1.5 
 
 Timothy hay. 
 
 86.8 
 
 2.8 
 
 43.4 
 
 1.4 
 
 
 a Taken from Henry's “ Feeds and Feeding.” 
 
 UTILIZATION OF THE GRAIN. 
 
 USE OE OATS AS HUMAN FOOD. 
 
 Oats have been used as human food in northern Europe for many 
 centuries. In Scotland oatmeal porridge, or groats, is one of the 
 principal articles of diet. Hull-less oats are largely used as food in 
 the mountainous districts of China, where the grain is not only used 
 as porridge but is ground into meal and used in the making of bread 
 and cakes. In the United States the manufacture and consumption 
 of oatmeal have greatly increased in recent years. Most of the oat- 
 meal now manufactured is more properly termed u rolled oats,” 
 though the cracked or cut grain, commonly known as “ groats,” is 
 used to a limited extent. 
 
 Oatmeal when properly cooked is one of the cheapest and best of 
 the cereal foods. Long cooking not only makes it more palatable, but 
 greatly increases its digestibility. The Iowa Agricultural Experi¬ 
 ment Station found that the average price per pound of three brands 
 of oatmeal was slightly less than that of seven uncooked foods made 
 from other cereals and little more than half that of seventeen brands 
 of prepared cereals. Ten cents purchased a greater fuel value in the 
 form of oatmeal than in the average of the other uncooked cereals, and 
 nearly double that which could be obtained in the prepared cereals* 
 The protein content of the oatmeal was greater than that of any of 
 
 420 
 
oats: distribution and uses. 
 
 19 
 
 the other cereal foods. Similar results showing the high food value 
 and comparatively low cost of oatmeal are reported by several other 
 agricultural experiment stations. It is generally recognized that 
 most of the protein in oatmeal is readily digestible and that oatmeal 
 is a valuable addition to the diet. 
 
 FEEDING THE G&AXN TO STOCK. 
 
 Oats have long been the staple grain for feeding horses. The high 
 protein content furnishes a large amount of muscle-building ma¬ 
 terial for the development of young animals and for the maintenance 
 in good condition of older ones at heavy work. The protein and fat 
 in the grain are largely digestible, while complete mastication and 
 digestion are aided by the presence of a considerable amount of crude 
 fiber in the hulk Oats are also excellent for feeding to cattle and 
 sheep, especially to milch cows and ewes. They are not adapted for 
 feeding to hogs on account of the large amount of crude fiber they 
 contain, though crushed oats are sometimes fed to brood sows. Oats 
 are often fed to poultry, forming a large part of the ration when not 
 too high in price. 
 
 Probably by far the greater portion of the oats produced in the 
 United States is fed to horses. In the opinion of many good horse¬ 
 men no other feed produces as good results in keeping the animals in 
 good condition and high spirits. Though the stimulating effect of 
 oats on horses is generally recognized by horsemen, the attempts of 
 chemists to find the active principle which produces it have been 
 without results. Recent experiments with other feeds for work 
 horses indicate that equally as good results can be secured where oats 
 are in part replaced by corn, especially if a small amount of oil meal 
 or other feed rich in protein is also used. 
 
 Oats are usually fed whole to horses. In the feeding of young colts 
 and older animals with poor teeth, grinding or crushing the grain 
 is of benefit. Musty grain should never be fed to stock. Xew oats 
 should be fed with caution, as they are likely to have a decidedly 
 loosening effect on the bowels. When oats are high in price, corn or 
 other grains can be substituted in part in the ration for horses. 
 Where brewers’ grains are available, they are sometimes used for 
 this purpose, as are barley and boiled rye. A recent experiment at 
 the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station in wintering work 
 horses on cheap rations showed that corn, beet pulp, and bran can be 
 used with profit in place of oats and timothy hay when these feeds 
 are high in price. In an experiment at the Ohio station in substi¬ 
 tuting corn for oats in feeding work horses, it was found that when 
 mixed clover and timothy hay was fed, ear corn was practically as 
 efficient, pound for pound, as oats, and that the use of corn for work 
 horses did not induce laziness or lack of endurance; nor did the use 
 
 420 
 
20 
 
 OATS : DISTRIBUTION AND USES. 
 
 of oats increase spirit or endurance. This experiment does not indi¬ 
 cate that corn will give as good results as oats when fed with timothy 
 hay alone, while in the feeding of brood mares with foals it is prob¬ 
 able that oats are to be preferred. At the Iowa station results 
 equally as good were secured at less cost when work horses were fed 
 corn with a moderate amount of oil meal, gluten feed, or cottonseed 
 meal as when fed a corn and oat ration of equal nutritive value. 
 
 The high protein content and readily digestible nature of oats 
 make them excellent feed for dairy cows. Often, however, they are 
 too high in price to feed with profit. According to a test conducted 
 by the Wisconsin station, oats, pound for pound, are somewhat more 
 valuable than bran for milk production. On this basis, with bran at 
 $25 a ton, oats are worth 44 cents a bushel for dairy cows. The grain 
 is usually fed whole, though it is sometimes crushed or ground or 
 fed in the form of corn and oat feeds. Some of the prepared feeds 
 bearing this name, however, contain a large percentage of oat hulls 
 and little of the grain. Oats are excellent for feeding to calves, par¬ 
 ticularly to those of the dairy breeds. They seldom form an impor¬ 
 tant part of the ration of fattening cattle. 
 
 Oats are valuable for feeding to sheep, particularly to growing 
 lambs and to ewes. While experiments show that this grain is only 
 a little lower in feeding value than corn for fattening sheep, better 
 results will be secured by feeding corn and oats mixed than oats 
 alone. Oats are usually fed unground. Breeding ewes should be 
 fed a half pound of oats, bran, or peas daily, the selection of the 
 grain depending on the availability and the relative prices of the 
 different feeds. Sheaf oats make good feed for sheep as well as for 
 other stock. Ground oats can be fed to young lambs with excellent 
 results. 
 
 As previously stated, on account of the large* quantity of crude 
 fiber in oats, this grain is not well adapted for use in feeding hogs. 
 An experiment at the Wisconsin station showed excellent results 
 when a ration of one-third ground oats and two-thirds corn meal 
 was fed to growing pigs. A larger proportion of ground oats or the 
 substitution of whole oats for the ground oats decreased the rate of 
 gain and increased the cost. Ground or crushed oats are excellent 
 for brood sows. They can be fed with best results in the form of 
 slop, alone or in combination with bran, shorts, or peas. 
 
 Oats are quite largely used in poultry feeding, forming an impor¬ 
 tant part of the grain ration of breeding stock. They are usually 
 fed with other grains, their high protein content making them a valu¬ 
 able grain to combine with corn to balance the ration. They are 
 little used for fattening poultry. 
 
 420 
 
OATS : DISTRIBUTION AND USES. 
 
 21 
 
 USE OF OAT BY-PRODUCTS. 
 
 As the principal article manufactured from oats is oatmeal, so the 
 principal by-products of oatmeal manufacture are oat feeds. If 
 these feeds contain a considerable proportion of small oats and broken 
 kernels they may form a valuable addition to the ration. If, how¬ 
 ever, they are made up largely of oat hulls, as is often the case, they 
 have about the same value as other coarse roughage and can not be 
 considered as a concentrate. The corn and oat feeds on the market 
 are usually made up of cracked corn and the refuse from oatmeal 
 mills, which, as just stated, often consists largely of oat hulls. Their 
 feeding value does not ordinarily justify the high prices at which 
 they are usually sold. 
 
 UTILIZATION OF THE STRAW. 
 
 Oat straw is quite largely used for feeding to horses, cattle, and 
 sheep. As a part of a maintenance ration, it is of considerable value, 
 being nearly equal to corn stover (the stalks with the ears removed). 
 If the straw is of good quality there will be less waste in feeding than 
 with stover. It is higher in feeding value and more palatable than 
 the straw from any other small grain. A common practice in feeding 
 oat straw is to allow the animals to run to the stack at will. This is 
 wasteful when roughage is high in price, as much of the straw will 
 be trampled under foot and worked into the manure. A better plan 
 is to feed the straw from mangers or open racks, as there is much less 
 waste from feeding in this way. If roughage is low in price and 
 straw is plentiful, however, the extra expense of hauling the straw to 
 the racks will not be justified. 
 
 Where it is not utilized for feeding, oat straw is largely used for 
 bedding for animals and in the formation of manure. When com¬ 
 bined with the droppings from animals, it serves to hold the liquid 
 manure, gives bulk, and adds humus and considerable fertilizing ma¬ 
 terial to the soil. At the present prices of commercial fertilizers, $3 
 a ton is a conservative estimate of the value of oat straw as a fertil¬ 
 izer. It is altogether too valuable to burn, a common practice in 
 some sections. Oat straw is not extensively used in manufacturing, 
 rye, wheat, and rice straw being the kinds that are commonly utilized. 
 
 USE AS HAY AND PASTURE AND FOR SOILING. 
 
 A considerable acreage of oats, either alone or in combination with 
 peas or vetch, is harvested annually for hay. Oat hay’is produced to 
 some extent in the South, particularly in those sections where the crop 
 does not produce grain satisfactorily, and in the Pacific Coast States. 
 With Canadian field peas, oats are grown for hay in the northern por¬ 
 tion of the United States and in Canada, while this crop is grown with 
 
 420 
 
22 
 
 oats: distribution and uses. 
 
 vetch in the Pacific Northwest and in a very limited way in the South. 
 If cut when the grain is in the milk, oats make a very palatable and 
 nutritious hay, which is readily eaten by stock of all kinds. The 
 addition of peas or vetch increases the yield of hay as well as its 
 feeding value. Oat and pea hay is particularly well liked by sheep 
 and dairy cows and is highly recommended for feeding to these ani¬ 
 mals. A common proportion is 1 bushel of peas to 1-J bushels of oats, 
 sowing 2J bushels of the mixture to the acre. The feeding value of 
 the hay depends largely on the proportion of pea vines it contains, but 
 the mixture just given or equal parts of the two grains is usually re¬ 
 garded as most satisfactory. Hay from oats alone or from oats and 
 peas is cut and cured like other hay, though if the crop is heavy it may 
 be found rather difficult to cure. Curing in the windrow or cock, with 
 as little handling as possible, is desirable in order to retain the leaves 
 and pods on the pea vines. The hay should be cut before many of the 
 pods ripen; otherwise the peas will shell out in handling and a valu¬ 
 able portion of the crop will be lost. The grain binder may be used 
 in harvesting if the crop is allowed to become nearly ripe before 
 cutting and is partially cured before shocking. A good crop of 
 oats should yield from 2 to 2J tons of cured hay, while peas and oats 
 together should make from 2} to 3 tons. 
 
 Oats alone or in combination with either peas or vetch make an 
 early, nutritious, and heavy-yielding soiling crop. If several seedings 
 are made in succession at intervals of a week or two, the crop is 
 in good condition for use over a considerable period. If more is 
 grown than can be used for feeding green, the crop may be allowed 
 to mature and be cut for hay, or it may be used as pasture. Oats fur¬ 
 nish abundant pasture for sheep and hogs, which is available quite 
 early in the season. If peas are sown with the oats, the crop should 
 be allowed to make considerable growth before the hogs are turned in 
 on it, as the young pea vines are easily broken off and destroyed. 
 Sheep do less injury in this way and can be turned in on the pasture 
 early in the season. 
 
 Mutton or pork may be very cheap!} 7 produced by allowing the peas 
 and oats to ripen and then pasturing off the crop with sheep or hogs. 
 This combination is particularly well liked by sheep, and as they 
 make rapid growth and cheap gains upon it, it should be more gen¬ 
 erally used. As the crop is pastured off it costs nothing to harvest and 
 the land is enriched, as practically all of the plant food taken from 
 the soil is returned, together with the nitrogen taken from the air by 
 the pea vines. 
 
 420 
 
oats: distribution and uses. 
 
 23 
 
 USE AS A NURSE CROP AND AS A COVER CROP. 
 
 Oats are frequently used as a nurse crop for clover and grass, and 
 in some sections for alfalfa. This use is only incidental, however, 
 as the oats are sown primarily for the production of grain, while the 
 position of this crop in the rotation immediately preceding the 
 meadow or pasture crop makes it desirable, and in some cases neces- 
 sary, to sow grass or clover seed with it. When used as a nurse 
 crop rather less seed should be sown than when not so used, while 
 early harvesting and the growing of early varieties are advisable. A 
 less frequent use of oats is as a cover crop in orchards, to protect the 
 roots of the trees by shading them in late summer and by forming a 
 mulch and holding the snow in winter. The cover crop also serves 
 to check the growth of the trees and to insure thorough ripening of 
 the young wood before cold weather. Canada field peas or vetch 
 make a valuable addition to oats when used for this purpose. 
 
 SUMMARY. 
 
 The oat crop of the world is nearly 3,700,000,000 bushels annually, 
 most of which is produced in Europe and North America. The prin¬ 
 cipal oat-producing countries are the United States, European Russia, 
 Germany, France, and Canada. In the United States the greater por¬ 
 tion of the crop is grown in the upper Mississippi Valley. Illinois, 
 Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Nebraska are the leading States 
 in the production of oats. The annual crop, 1900-1909, of the United 
 States is about 900,000,000 bushels. 
 
 The market grades of oats depend on the color of the grain and its 
 freedom from mixture and from dirt. 
 
 The legal weight of a bushel of oats in most of the States is 32 
 pounds. 
 
 About 2 pounds of straw are usually produced to 1 pound of grain. 
 The proportion of straw may be materially reduced, however, in 
 some varieties and in some seasons, or it may be materially increased. 
 The hull usually comprises 30 to 35 per cent of the grain, though the 
 range is from little more than 20 per cent to about 45 per cent. 
 
 Analyses show that oats are higher in protein than corn and about 
 equal to wheat and barley. They are higher in ash than any of the 
 other grains, and considerably higher in fat than either barley or 
 wheat. On account of the hulls, oats contain the highest percentage 
 of crude fiber, an undesirable element. Oat straw contains more 
 protein and more fat than corn stover or the straw of any other small 
 grain. 
 
 420 
 
24 
 
 OATS : DISTRIBUTION AND USES. 
 
 Oats are quite largely used as food for man in the form of oat¬ 
 meal, or rolled oats, a highly nutritious cereal food. Most of the 
 crop, however, is used for feeding to stock, particularly to horses. 
 No other grain is so popular for feeding to this class of animals. 
 Good results are also secured from feeding oats to dairy cows, sheep, 
 and poultry, though the price of this grain is often too high to 
 justify such use. 
 
 Oat straw is more palatable and more nutritious than the straw of 
 any other grain and is nearly equal to corn stover. In addition to 
 its use as a feed, it is largely used for bedding and for the formation 
 of manure. Its fertilizing value is about $3 a ton. 
 
 Hay made from oats or from oats and peas is both palatable and 
 nutritious, being higher in feeding value than timothy hay. These 
 crops can also be used as pasture or cut green for feeding to stock. 
 Sheep do particularly well on oats and peas, either when cut for hay 
 or when used as pasture. 
 
 As oats frequently precede grass or clover in the rotation, they are 
 often used as a nurse crop. They are sometimes used as a cover crop 
 in orchards. 
 
 [A list giving the titles of all Farmers’ Bulletins available for distribution 
 will be sent free upon application to any Member of Congress or the Secretary 
 of Agriculture.] 
 
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