Omaha daily bee., 1908-12-16
GRAIN men DISCUSS OATS
CONTINUED from First Page.)

character which makes it superior or diff
ferent from other varieties. We wish TO
take this characteristic of each variety.
combine 1t with the one distinct character
istic of each other variety into a new and
distinct breed that possesses the good points
of all. Furthermore. by making these
crosses we perplex nature to such an extent
that 1t conceives wonderful variation, and
Il Is from this weird assortment of from
call out new types. When we bring about
intense variation by composite crossing;
new and prolific types sre possible, and
them permanently after several years OF
selection.
Methods of Composite Crossing.
AS an example Of the method Of proceed
ure. In composite crossing let us take eight
varieties of oats for instance-the Swedish
Select and Black Tartarian as the first
these Banner and White Tartarian as a
second pair. A third pair might be made
up from the Yellow Side oats and the yell
low Kherson and n fourth pair from Sixty
day oats and Clydesdale oats. Mating
these in pairs we have the second season
four v~arities of oats instead of the eight
original varieties. The third season, mating
these again in pairs, we have the two va
mating the two pairs that are left, again
we have one progeny that combines the
of the upset plans OF nature that gives us
opportunity to witness a thousand new and
distinct types from which we can select to
At Acton Grange in England about twenty
years ago we collected from all over the
world all the available varieties of Guilt
waited and wild types OF farm grains and
grasses Taking oats as an example, about
100 varieties were received. including %
British, 10 German, 10 Russian, 6 Hungarian,
d Greek, 8 Italian, Q Australian, ID North
American and 2 Chinese. There were also
oats, of which there are counterparts to
most OF our cultivated varieties, including
a wild side oats, a wild black oats, a wild
white oats, a wild yellow oats and a wild
tawny oats. The progeny resulting from
the mating Of varieties cultivated in Eng
land show differences in the relative length
OF straw and yield of grain in the period
husk, in the color and shape, in hardness
In enabling them to resist frost, mildews
and blights, and in other characteristics.
IL is therefore not to be wondered at that
cultivated varieties from such widely diff
ferent climates. as those of the countries
mentioned would yield most striking varia-
ton. The wild species which have never
been tempered with have proved to be even
more valuable plants for cross-breeding, as
they tend to arouse a sportive element to
an exceptional degree.
Among the wild types made use of may be
mentioned the English wild oats. This has
been utilized because of its strength of
straw and hardness. This hardy feature
winter or fall oats, the first of which will
shortly be placed into growers hands.
Among the oats sent from China was a
strong growing oat grass which possesses
a. popularity not shown by any other oat.
The ordinary oats in cultivation sometimes
very rarely as, many as three. The Chinese
oats grass, however, produces a group of
is peculiar in that It is practica'lly huiIess'
After considerable difficulty this naked oat
was incorporated by means Of composite
crossing with ordinary breeds of oats. New
breeds possessing most novel features have
been produced by such cross-breeding and
the increase and how wide the divergence
effected by this means. For instance, in
heavy husk, the infusion of Chinese oats
aIter composite crossing, has brought about
types that possess as many as twenty-one
thlnness OF hpsk, as we'll as many other
striking peculiarities, The infusion of wild
hardness and stiffness of straw, rust re-
%sistance, with, increased yields.
Miller Pleads for Quality.
Mr.. Murray told of the enormous increase
in the oatmeal industry and declared that
the total output of oatmeal for the crop
years of 1907 and 1908 will not total more
than 65 to 70 per cent of the standing ca
pacity of the mills, a loss of from 80 to IS
per cent to the manufacturers of the coun-
try. caused by the poor quality and short
crop of oats.
On the question of prices, Mr.. Murray
said:
1t is not necessary that we should have
low prices on oats in this country in order
TO do an expert business on oatmeal. Oats
can sell at the same price in Liverpool or
London as in Chicago, and we can still do
an expert business. This is accounted for
by the great improvements in milling ma
chinery, as evidenced by the modern plants
In this country today and the superior
transportation facilities enabling us to dis
tribute our products direct from the At
lantic seaboard to all large European ports.
We do not argue for low prices, but we do
need good grain.
Much Inquiry is made from time to time
as to what variety of oats are best suited
for the manufacture of oatmeal, to which
we have invariably replied that with the
the seed is not the Vital point. Most mills
are fitted with machinery to handle all
the different varieties of oats, but more
particularly the grades ordinarily grown in
testing 30 pounds or better per bushel,
reasonably clean and free from foreign
grain, sound and sweet, il suitable for mill
ing purposes. There was a time when con-
siderable objection was made to the yellow
or golden and the Russian green varieties
5 on account of the dark color of the hull,
! which affected the quality OF the light oats
and the oat feed: These objections have
been removed. The mills now find they
] can handle such oats satisfactorily, and
! from a milling standpoint, the yellow oats
A stand as high today as any other variety.
Low Grading of Oats.
$ Prof. M. L. Bowman of the Iowa Agri-
e cultural college made the startling state
S ment at the opening OF his address that
= only two-tenths of 1 per cent of the oats
T received on the Omaha grain market were
BTdueu as NO q hhAS ho ~ 1 ooNS "NAS
received. He said 2 per cent only were
standard, while "a per cent were No. 3 and
40 per cent were No. 4 or, in other words,
e "a per cent Of the oats received at the
d leading markets class as No, 9 and No. l.
r Prof. Bowman ten took up the subject
e Of Improvement Of the oats crop and dis
II cussed it under five different headings
6 varieties, tanning and screening grain,
treatment of smut, preparation OF the seed
n bed, amount and method Of seeding. His
address was one of the most interesting
& which has been given in concert hall and
was listened to by a large audience OF
grain dealers, business men, farmers and
,e railroad men. The Omaha Grain exchange