Whenever the state of Washington shall become the owner of any growing crop, or crop grown upon, any state lands, by reason of the forfeiture, cancellation, or termination of any contract or lease of state lands, or from any other cause, the department is authorized to arrange for the harvesting, sale, or other disposition of such crop in such manner as the department deems for the best interest of the state, and shall pay the proceeds of any such sale into the state treasury to be credited to the same fund as the rental of the lands upon which the crop was grown would be credited.