SPROUTED OATS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19832, 30 December 1927, Page 14

SPROUTED OATS.

USEFUL GREEN FOOD. Some years agn there was quite a rage for sprouted oats and almost every small poultry-keeper kept a supply ready against his being unable to get other green food. They were a novelty, and everyone likes novelties, but when they require regular attention novelties begin to pall, so sprouted oats died out. 'J hey are, however, an excellent food and only require a few minutes' attention once, or perhaps twice a day. A shallow box, such as florists use, is n ,ll that is required, or for a few shillings a tier of boxes can be made. The boxes should lie about 3in. deep and should have very small holes pierced in the bottoms. The method of preparing the oats is quite simple, and is as follows :-*-Take enough oats to Well cover the bottom of the box, put them into a basin, or pan and fill up with hot water and cover with a cloth. On the following day drain off the water and spread the oats on the bottom 'of the box, which they will now cover to the thickness of an inch. Give ,ibom a sprinkling of water night anil morning and they will soon begin to sprout' up and appear like a turf of grass. Each grain, however, will only give a shoot of a, certain length, and when they are all about level with the top of the box they must be used or they will wither and become useless. They need only a slight sprinkling of water every day and about the seventh day are ready for use. The whole mass can now be cut out from the bottoms of the box in squares and can be given to the birds in this form. They will pock them to. pieces and devour them readily.