Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1919-03-04
The Maine $40 Oat.
PROBABLY THE BEST COMMERCIAL oAT
EVER GROWN IN MAINE.

The Maine Agricultural Experiment
Station began it's oat testing and breed.
ing work al Highmoor Farm in 1909.
During the past nine years the Station
has tested more than 90 distinct COM
mercial varieties of oats. These varie-
ties have been gathered from all parts OF
the United States and Canada as well as
from some European countries. Many
of these varieties have shown themselves
unfit for Maine conditions and have been
discarded after one or two years. All
of the more promising varieties have
been retained and tested for longer
time. :,
In addition to the testing Of well
known varieties the Station has believed
that it was possible to breed new varie-
ties which would be better adapted to
N sine conditions than any oats which
were already In existence. WORKING
along this line the Station has produced
hundreds OF entirely new varieties many
of which possess characters never before
obtained In a commercial oat. For one
reason or another il 10 necessary TO dis
card the large majority Of these new
varieties. Some will show excellent
In every way except In one or
two directions. Some will have too
weak straw. Others will have SIN
straw but the grain will have too thick
hull or else it will not have sufnclent
yielding ability.
But out of the hundreds OF new varie-
ties produced there are some which pos
ssss the proper combination of desirable
characters. In 1912 the Station pro-
duced the oat known as Maine $40. This
particular oat possesses such remarkable
Characters that it was at once picked out
for further testing. 1t 1918 the plots OF
this variety averaged to yield over "a
bushels DER acre. In 1914 under excep-
tlouslly good conditions IL averaged TO
yisld 100 bushels, and in 1915 1t yielded
SS bushels per acre.
Maine $40 was first multiplied In .
small commercial scale in 1914 and the
sssd offered for distribution to farmers
in the state. This oat gave such univer-
sal satisfaction that the Station mas con-
tinued to grow 1t for seed each year. 10
addition to this many farmers have sold
their crops of Maine $40 for seed. Al
the present time it is safe to say tna'
thsrs are more acres Of Maine $40 grown
In the state than of any other one stand
ard variety Of oats. ,
During all these years Maine $40 where
unmixed with other varieties has con
tiuued to maintain Its high qualities. lr
a 5 wear test at Highmoor this oat aver
aged to yield IS bushels per acre. IL
1alS this oat vas introduced on Aroos'
took Farm and has been grown a. farn
cat there ever since. During the pes'
shrse years IL has averaged to yield ovel
sO bushels per acre In Aroostook showing
itbat Il Ia well adapted to the nortners
part of the state as well a. 20 tne soasn
ern. A,
lthus far the most important piece o.
Mani breeding work whioh the Statio'
has accomplished. Judging from on
lovn results, and the comments Of thes'
vho have grown this ost, 1t 10 safe y
a., thst n Hains $40 has increased the 90
v;sld of the state sufficiently to repay Il
shs stste the cost OF Highmoor Faru
several times over.
While the oat breeding work OF tn
lrrnerimsut Station 10 best knowi
rhrouah the production OF Maine 40, IN
s,stjon Il sfili ct work attempting y
nrodnce An ost which will be still oeae
han Maine $40. At the present time ~
~. ssvsrnl new varieties which pcomis
20 fnlfil our desire In this direction on
sS.. naust be tssted further before the
are Pot out for distribuuon.-Cnss' y
lWoods, Dtsoeeoss