CEREALS AT THE AKRON FIELD STATION 61 
rye, and oats. Possibly 7,000,000 acres in this section are cropped. 
As only about one-third of the area is under cultivation, considerable 
room for agricultural expansion remains. 
: The soil on which the experiments were conducted is a sandy 
oam. 
The average annual precipitation for 15 years is 17.93 inches, of 
which 13.68 inches fell during the growing season, April 1 to Sep- 
tember 30. The annual precipitation has ranged from 25 inches in 
1915. to 13.44 inches in 1921. The seasonal precipitation is a very 
important factor and greatly influences grain yields. 
The average yields of the better adapted varieties of wheat, corn, 
barley, rye, oats, and sorghum have been fairly satisfactory, but 
partial or complete failures in some years of several crops make single- 
oP farming uncertain. Other small grains yield less than winter 
wheat. 
Crimean winter wheats have produced higher yields than durum 
or hard red spring wheats. Kanred is the highest yielding variety 
now being grown. Turkey winter wheat has produced good yields 
over a long period of years. Peliss durum has outyielded all other 
spring wheats. Winter wheat should be sown as early in the fall 
as climatic conditions and soil moisture justify. Too early seeding 
probably will not prove to be good practice, as the crop may dry 
out later. Spring wheat should be sown as early in the spring as 
soil conditions permit. The seeding rates from which the best results 
have been produced are from 3 to 5 pecks per acre for both winter 
and spring wheat varieties. 
Fallowing for either winter or spring wheat is probably not jus- 
tified, as the yields usually are not sufficiently increased over those 
on land in corn or other cultivated crops to justify the expense. 
Rotating corn and wheat is apparently the most satisfactory practice. 
The seeding of spring wheat can not be recommended, except pos- 
sibly as a catch crop where a feed crop is not desired. Winter wheat, 
although sown as late as the middle of October, usually will outyield 
spring wheat. 
The early varieties of oats—Kherson, Albion, and Colburt—have 
produced the highest yields. These varieties should be sown at the 
rate of at least 4 pecks per acre, as early in the spring as soil and 
weather conditions permit. Oats yield less than barley in the vicin- 
ity of Akron. They are more popular in the northern and western 
parts of the district. 
The early varieties of barley, Coast and White Smyrna, have pro- 
duced the highest yields. Barley should be sown as early as possible 
at the rate of at least 4 pecks per acre. Although not so popular as 
corn, spring barley is a most valuable feed crop in the section. 
Winter rye has produced nearly as high yields as winter wheat 
in several seasons. It is slightly more certain than winter wheat; 
but yields less and sells for a smaller price per bushel. In the more 
sandy sections it is a valuable grain crop. It is apparently most 
useful in this district as a pasture crop. Spring rye, spring emmer, 
and spelt are of little value in the section. None of these crops 
yields so well as the best varieties of barley or oats. Winter emmer 
is not winter hardy enough to be grown successfully in northeastern 
Colorado. 
