28 
Coi^ORADo Experiment vStation 
Irrigation ,—Barley is more sensitive to changes in the water 
supply than any other of the small grain crops. A lack of water 
just at the proper time will always stunt the growth and irrig'ation 
should be such as to permit a vigorous continuous growth. 
Harvesting .—Barley is sometimes harvested as a hay crop. 
When the bearded varieties are so harvested they should be cut rela¬ 
tively early. If they are allowed to mature until the stiff dough 
stage, the beard is liable to be a serious obstacle to successful feed¬ 
ing. The beardless varieties can be cut anywhere from the soft 
dough to the stiff dough stage and made into good hay. 
When cut for grain they should be allowed to get to the yellow 
ripe or well past the stiff dough stage before cutting. Except in 
years of short straw growth, barley will be cut with the binder or 
header. When conditions are such as they were in 1913, when a 
very short growth of straw was produced, much barley can be har¬ 
vested only with a mowing machine. 
EMMER. 
Experience with winter emmer in the Valley is not sufficient as 
yet to justify its recommendation for general planting. Difficulty 
seems to be encountered in getting soil conditions such as will pre¬ 
vent severe spring killing. With the soils dry and with windy weath¬ 
er in the spring, spring killing is almost a certainty. Conditions 
have not been sufficiently favorable to warrant recommending the 
crop except in favorable locations. 
Spring Bmmer .—Spring Emmer gives promise of being a 
strong rival of barley as a grain feed crop. Emmer belongs to the 
wheat family. The hull, however, sticks to the berry when the grain 
is thrashed, this peculiarity distinguishing it readily from the com¬ 
mon wheats. 
Preparation of the land and irrigation are the same as for 
wheat. Emmer can be seeded as earlv as wheat, about ninety-five 
pounds of seed per acre being used. It may have some value as a 
hay crop in occasional years, but if grown at all it should be for a 
grain feed. 
RYE. 
Winter rye gives promise of being valuable as a feed crop both 
for the straw and grain. It should be planted on land prepared the 
same as for wheat and at about the same time. From 60 to 70 
pounds of seed per acre should be used. Irrigation should be about 
the same as for winter wheat. The larger proportion of the small 
grains production in San Luis Valley is for feed. Except to raise 
seed and to have a grain feed to be used separately, the most of the 
