OATS - a grain which in England is generally given to horses, but in Scotland supports the people

OATS - a grain which in England is generally given to horses, but in Scotland supports the people

Samuel Johnson, the renowned English writer and lexicographer, once famously remarked that oats were a grain that in England is generally given to horses, but in Scotland supports the people. This statement reflects the stark contrast in the way oats were perceived and utilized in the two countries during Johnson's time.