The Lynden tribune. [volume] (Lynden, Wash.) 1908-current, 1914-05-07
WESTERN WASHINGTON
CEREAL CULTURE

, Cereals may be divided into Two
classes, spring and winter, depend
ing Oh the time they are Gown. In
Western Washington either can be
grown 10 good advantage. me
selection will depend largely on the
use for which the crop is wanted.
GENERALLY speaking, the winter var
ieties give larger yields of gram
than the spring varieties. For nay
the winter sown varieties will too
often be ready to cut during late
June when rains are frequent in
average years. We're it not for this
fact the winter type of cereal would
probably be preferable to the spring
type for hay.
In selecting any cereal variety
for Western Washington conditions
either for hay or grain, the yleld
of both straw and grain as well rs
time for harvesting are the llrsl
considerations. To yield well the
grain must have a stiff straw so II
will stand up well, and the plant
should be rather resistant To rust
and smut. TIE straw AS we'll as
the grain is of considerable value,
so these points are essential. Inc
crop should mature at a time when
weather conditions are favorable LOT
harvesting.
The principal cereals grown here
are rye, barley, wheat and oats. IN
this brief discussion the writer Will
treat of the most practical use OF
these crops, indicating the most
promising varieties as shown by our
experience with them at the western
Washington Experiment Station.
RIVE may be used as cover crop
or for suiline, and is used 20 the
best advantage with spring vetch
fall sown. (The winter or hairy
yetch may be used but it is more
of trailer, hard to harvest and Of
times is hard to get rid of Rye
used in this way. sown in the carr!
fall gives q crop that can be used
as green forage from ABOUT tne
middle of June. or about Two weeks
earlier than fall sown oats or wheat
would be ready. The spring rye is
sometimes sown in the spring win
yetch. but oat is preferable. 1t Is
doubtful if the use of rye in West
ern Washington is often advisable
since other cereals ar, more palat-
able to live stock and serve EQUAL
iy we'll as cover crops.
Barley may be used for hay or
grain. II for hay. the beardiess
type is best. Either bearded or
beardless may be used for grain
The winter varieties of barley will
not ordinarily outyjeld spring yar'e-
ties. and they ripen so Early that
they are often damaged by wet
weather at harvest time. Barley hes
a soft straw and often lodges quite
badly, SO it is better adapted to he
upland clay soils rather than the
low land. Beardless spring vsrle-
ties such as Success Beardless,
Himalaya Hullness and White
. Beardless are fairly strong strawed.
good yielders and will give Satis-
! factory results under average con-
djtions. Barley is not AS satisfac-
torily grown with vetch or peas rs
is oats. wheat or even rye for he
reason that barley. being naturally
weak in straw does not serve 20
hold up the vetch or peas, and the
whole goes down in IA tangled mass
which makes it hard to harvest
| W lnhtT "ue"t SiNCo
yield of grain and, where possible.
it should be used rather than spring
wheat. Spring wheat can be used
TO advantage for hay or graia where
for some reason, the crop cannot DE-
put in in the fall. On The Station
mis- year Red Russian and one
variety of Little Club We're late
enough SO that either could have
been cured for hay. w. S. c. by
brid No. 1873, a club type, produced
the greatest amount of straw ana
the largest yield of grain. Other
promising varieties of winter whehf
are Forty Fold. Fife and Blue Stem.
Oats is probably the most valn-
able cereal for Western Washington
: While there are a number of WIN
ter varieties such rs Webb's Hardy
and Winter Turf grown, spring
, varieties are generally superior
either for hay or grain. The lead
ing spring varieties of spring oats,
rs shown by our test plots, Big
. Four. Black Oats, Swedish Select,
Canadian Dat, Shadeland Climax
Golden Giant and White Triumph.
, These are selected because they are
, more rust resistant, stronger straw
ed, and better yielders than the
other. Two good early spring varie-
ties are New Kherson and Sixty
Day Oats. For grain, spring oats
Is better than winter oats because
it ripens at a time when 1t can best
! be taken care of and gives a very
heavy yield. The winter oats on
the station. planted on bottom land
lodged very badly, but those sown
with vetch on the upland stood UP
quite we'll.
; All the cereals grow exceptional /
|, " we'll in Western Washington and
: while the average farms are small
compared with those of grain grow
ing sections and the methods OF
! culture more intensive. still some
of the cereals can prOfitably be in
, cluded in rotations on most of these
farms. When selecting any cereal
select one that will give the maxi
mum yield and will mature when it
can be properly cured.