CANADIAN FARMER DISCOVERS NEW OAT.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 15 April 1922, Page 3

CANADIAN FARMER DISCOVERS NEW OAT.

What appears to be a new variety of oat is being tested in Western Canada with most, encouraging results, as it gives many evidences of extreme ; drought resistance. lln 1915 Mr. Alby Kitp discovered or* i his farm at Cluny, Southern Alberta, a single oat roofof some sixteen stools growing on land he was preparing for

a garden. The grains were gathered and sown the following year. From this and subsequent tests Mr. Kite has found the Mammoth oat, as he called it, a very JSgh yielder, with a strong straw and plump kernel, and an excellent drought resister. Last' year, which proved a dry one, the area planted on summer fallow gave a return of 100 bushels to the acre. In comparison with Banner, a well known standard variety, the new arrival has shown up well. Its peculiar droughtresisting qualities are accounted for by the fact that Mammoth has a main tap root, some six or eight inches long, which reaches well clown into the soil, and is able to withstand extremely dry conditions, which would be fatal to other strains.

Mammoth ripens in Canada hi about the same period as Banner, i.e.-, on an ayerage of 110 days. It has a considerably heavier head, however. From 50 to 60 panicles to a stem are considered a good yield of Banner, but it is nothing unusual to find between 90 and 120 grains in\i single head on the new variety. The* plant has a long, thick straw, which enables it to support the heavy head and prevent lodging;.* The kernel is short, but very plump, somewhat resembling a wheat grain. Samples tested have weighed as high as 461b to the bushel,oosr s 141b over the standard.