The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1923-07-06
Not Considered Cash Crop
and Are Grown Largely to
Fill Out Rotation.

prepared by the United States Department
of Agriculture.l
LII is probable that the production of
oats in the United States has reached
Its highest point and the acreage Of
this crop may be somewhat reduced
during the present decade. Thus, the
discussion Of the situation and out
look of the oat crop In the United
States Is summed up in the 1922 Year
book just published by the United
States Department of Agriculture.
The rapidly increasing use of motor
lied transfer and trucking in both
the city and country are markedly
reducing the commercial demand for
feeding oats, and the quantity of oats
required for horse feed on the farm
may be slightly reduced by the use
of farm tractors. Notwithstanding the
rapid development of the farm trac-
tor, most of the farms Of the United
States will continue to be titled wholly
or In large part by the use of horses
and oats will continue to be in demand
as one of the principal horse feeds.
horses rather than trucks, and these
will supply some market demand.
Used for Human Food.
In addition, considerable quantities
Of oats are used each year for human
food, in the making Of prepared live
stock and poultry feeds and for ex-
port. Oats usually are not consid-
cred cash crop, but are important be-
cause of the rather unique place they
occupy In the scheme Of farming in
some parts of the United States. While
they are valuable as a feed for horses,
young stock and breeding animals,
they are grown largely to complete
the rotation system in which corn,
wheat and hay crops are grown. There
is no other crop that fits In as well as
do oats between corn and wheat OR
corn and grass, utilizing land and
labor that might otherwise be unpro-
ductive. In some sections barley and
soy beans may be substituted with
good results, but under most condi-
lions these crops have certain disad-
vantages that still make oats the most
satisfactory intermediate crop.
Crop Is Important.
Economy of labor in the production
of oats also is important Usually no
blowing is necessary in preparing the
seed bed. particularly where the crop
follows corn. While oats rank fifth
among all crops in total cash value,
and further increase in acreage is
problematical, the crop is nevertheless
important because of its place in the
general farming system.
While oats are grown to great ex-
tent in western Europe. Russia and
other countries, the United States
leads in total production with slightly
more than one-fourth of the world
crop. Russia, according TO the aver
age production for the five-year period
ending in 1914, was a very close sec
ond, with "a per cent of the total.
Other countries of large production
were Germany, Canada, France, Aus
tria- Hungary and the United Kingdom,
In the order named.
During the twenty-year prewar pc
Rod from 1895 to 1914, inclusive, the
annual production of oats In the
United States averaged. In round num-
bers, 969O00,0OO bushels, in Russia
901 100000, in Germany 523,OO00O0, in
France 317 100000, in Austria Hungary
221 100000, and in the United King
dom 176,0OO,OO0 bushels.
Oats enter much less into commerce