432 THE SMALL GRAINS 



Before harvesting, all of the field laterals should be 

 worked down. The wheat should be cut in the hard 

 dough stage. If well shocked, it will ripen some in the 

 shock. Stacking the wheat gives it a good color through 

 sweating, and avoids losses from hail and other adverse 

 conditions. 



468. Oats and barley. The methods of handling 

 oats and barley under irrigation are about the same as 

 for wheat. The Swedish Select is a good late variety for 

 irrigation, and the Kherson is good for early maturity. 

 Upon irrigating, oats will recover from the effects of a dry 

 period better than any other small cereal crop. 



Barley is more affected by over-watering than other 

 small cereals. The quality of the kernel is injured by 

 too much irrigation, and watering later than the soft 

 dough stage will cause a strong second growth, resulting 

 in mouldy bundles after harvesting. The yield of grain 

 to an inch of irrigation water decreases much more rapidly 

 as the quantity of water applied increases than that of 

 wheat or oats. Barley does not do well after other small 

 cereals. The crop should be cut before it is fully mature 

 to prevent shattering.. Where hailstorms are frequent, 

 the shocks should be capped, as hail will shatter the grain 

 even in the shock (Knorr, 1914). 



469. Effects of irrigation on the crop. In the early 

 part of the period of growth, the crop requires less water 

 than during the later growth when the spikes and kernels 

 are forming. According to Widtsoe and Stewart (1912) : 

 " (1) Leafy plants and a vigorous growth of the under- 

 ground parts are produced by much water ; (2) relatively 

 large heads (spikes) or pods are produced when little 

 water is employed; and (3) the percentage of protein in 

 all plant parts increases as irrigation is decreased." 



