76 Bulletin 78 



of the perennial grasses can not endure, their growth being Hmited 

 almost entirely by heat rather than by cold. 



The season during which seed of the above grains germinates 

 begins during September, after the mercury ceases to rise above 

 110° F. in the shade during the day, and begins falling as low as 50^ 

 to 60° at night, and continues until the next May when tempera- 

 tures higher than the above occur. During the hot weather of 

 June, July, and August the seed v.nll not start, even though supplied 

 with plenty of water. 



Barley and early varieties of wheat sown and irrigated during 

 September sometimes head out during December, especially if the 

 autumn be warmer than usual; but ordinarily all grains head out 

 by the end of April, regardless of the time of seeding. Fall-sown 

 winter varieties of wheat do not usually begin stooling until after 

 the coolest weather of winter is over, but most other grains begin 

 stooling earlier, if sown during early fall. Grain sown during the 

 latter part of Januar}^ and duri'ng February makes an uninter- 

 rupted growth from the time of germination, and matures before 

 the weather becomes extremely hot. Grain soAvn later then Feb- 

 ruary does not have sufficient time for full growth before the hot 

 weather of May and June. November is ordinarily the most 

 fa\orable month for sowing grain. Evaporation being compara- 

 tively slow during the weather that follows, grain sov;n in moist 

 soil during this month usually needs no irrigation until February 

 or March if there is an average amount of winter rainfall. All 

 sowings of all varieties ordinarily ripen during May or the few 

 days that precede or follow this month. At this time of year the 

 w eather is usually very favorable for harvesting cf the crop. 



The principal grains sown are barley and wheat, though oats 

 and rye are also successfully grown, but to a much smaller extent. 

 The yield of grain is from 1500 to 3GC0 pounds per acre, depending 

 upon the soil and M^ater supply. The white varieties such as 

 Sonora, Early Eaart and White Australian are chiefly grown, 

 although durum wheats produce well. Macaroni is probably the 

 heaviest yielder, but is not used by the millers. Where grain is 

 grown for poultry or stock feed, macaroni wheat is to be pre- 

 ferred. Among the bread W'heats, Earty Eaart, a variety intro- 

 duced by the Experiment Station about the year 1900, is now 

 preferred by the millers on account of its high quality. It is now 

 the most widely grown variety in the vState. Marquis and Turkey 

 Red will do well at the higher altitudes. 



