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in the south, but its introduction has apparently been
a success. Oats grow as far north as the Arctic circle,
and have increased in value with the increase of dairy
business. They are especially well adapted for
newly-tilled land; and more room has been given to them in
the recent and more scientifically arranged rotation of
crops, in which, after the green crops, a place is found
for other grains than those needed for bread. Finally,
there is now less difference in price between the grains,
which is to the advantage of oats. In Eastern Finland
oats are also used for bread; but mainly they are used
for cattle-food, for which there is now a greater demand.
They are also exported. “Hafre,” the Swedish word
for oats, is almost the same as the “haver” of Northern
England. In the period 1866-70 rye represented 48
per cent. of the total harvest, barley 28 per cent., and
oats only 24, but in 1891-95 oats had advanced to 47
per cent., rye decreased to 36 and barley to 16 per
cent. of the total. In the province of Uleåborg, in the
northern part of the country, barley still represents
more than 60 per cent. and oats not 10 per cent. of
the crops.
A peculiar process is the Finnish method of drying
the grain in special houses, “riar,” as they are called.
In the late and cold harvest season the sheaves are
dried first on stakes and then, according to the custom
of all Finnish peasants, in the riar before thrashing.
For this purpose the peasants make free use of their
abundant fire-wood, burning a fire for three or four
days in a peculiar oven without a chimney, which is
used also for various other purposes. This method
of drying the grain by heat and smoke kills the
insects which destroy the germs of the grain, and
this is one of the reasons why Finnish rye from Vasa
or from Nyland is so highly valued for seed purposes.
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