The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-02-08
THE FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.
Rye ms Green Manure for the Garden and

THE FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.
Rye ms Green Manure for the Garden and
Farm.
Nothing in gardening is mo re important
than manure, and it is of course, never pos.
sibie to get too much. In fact, it is rarely
possible for the gardener to get enough stable
manure, and he must resort TO some others,
the cheapest and best of which, believe. al
ter several years trial of it, to be green ma
nures, or growing crops ploughed under.
Every one knows the value of clover as a
fertilizer, but in many parts OF the West it
cannot be successfully grown, and even then
the land must be laid aside two years or
more, and with the gardener this is rarely
practicable. After trying many different
green crops, / am quite certain that for the
gardener, and often the farmer, in the West,
nothing is so valuable as rye. Its growth is
made late in Autumn and early in Spring, at
time when little else will grow, so that the
ground is free for this particular use. In
fact, all the tender vegetables are off in time
to SOW it in September, and the ground is not
needed for them again till May, by which
time the rye will be as heavy as can be
ploughed under. Upon the farm, too, it
comes in nicely, if the succeeding crop is to
be corn, roots, or potatoes, and more particu-
Adiiy oOWOu Will ioA iOuuOlt AVA WhiSh IL
seems especially adapted. Even after corn
/ succeed well with it, sowing it broadcast
and cultivating it in, leaving the corn-hills
standing, as they gather snow and help to
protect the rye in Winter. / sow the seed
thickly--about six pecks TO the acre-and
early if possible, so that the plants shall stool
out before Winter, endure exposure better,
and make larger and quicker growth in the
Spring. When the ground is wanted for
H., Gr1x Nav 10 Inn
we turn it under with chain. 1t is often three
feet high, and thick as only such heavy
crop can be, but with chain hung from
the end of the whiffie cross bar to the plough
beam, with slack enough so that it will drag
just ahead Of the uprising furrew, it will pull
down every stalk into the empty furrow as
nicely as it could be laid by hand, and the
whole mass buried out of sight. A little
practice will soon teach just the amount Of
slack needed.
My attention was first called to the value
of this crop, for manure, almost by accident.
Some years ago, just at planting time,
found myself short of suitable land for still
another variety of seed melons, which 1 was
obliged to grow, and leased ten acres of land
upon which was growing a crop of rye. This
turned under, and planted to nutmeg mel.
on. The occasional straws sticking up gave
the field rugged appearance for time, but
when the midsummer drought was upon us.
and the other fields succumbed, this one
looked as fresh and vigorous as could be, and
in fruiting even exceeded the promise its ap-
pearance gave. The yield of seed was more
than one larger than on similar land in good
heart, but not green MANFRED. / have prac-
ticed it ever since, and always with satisfac.
ton, the results being, on some fields, more
striking than on any previous year. Its Won
derful efficiency in promoting yield is due,
apprehend, not only to the available fertility
it furnishes, but also to the mechanical eff.
ects on the soil, thus maintaining moisture
during our worst droughths.
OF course would myself, and would rec.
ommend to Others, to get every forkful OF
manure to be had and apply it. And yet,
upon the same land, I would in addition, APP
ply green manure whenever practicable. The
labor of applying evenly forty loads of ma
nure per acre is considerable. Ali this is
done more evenly by the green crop. Seed
and labor together cost me but $3.50 pei
acre. l cannot say that it adds as much fer
tility to the soil as forty loads of manure, but
I do say that in our droughty seasons it pro
duces as great an increase of crop as do forty
two-horse loads of good manure. 1t certainy
~ pays to practise it largely, even on land
well supplied with stable manure, as that in.
creases the yigor and growth of the green
crop which is Immediately, with additions,
returned to the soil.-Journal Of AgricuI
ture.
Care of Stock Rams.
Careful as you may have been to keep up
the condition and vitality of your stock rams
they have lost flesh and vigor, more or less
and now that they are taken from the focl
they should be well cared for. Not only
should proper food he allowed, but quiet
roomy, differentiated quarters, where they
may be confined during storms of rain and
snow, or chilling, weakening winds. Theil
reduced systems poorly withstand the severe
changes of weather. Many fine ram, after
the skipping season, has been put into back
lot, on short allowance, without shelter, and
been allowed to run down and die unnecessa-
riy. The rams have done you good service
paid for themselves in their get and will
do so again, if given chance.
Few men use>a ram they are ashamed to
show to their friends. A well kept ram, Of
good breeding, is a nice animal to show to
your friends, and will always interest even q
novice in sheep knowledge. In northern IL
linois, month ago, we were shown a bunch
of stock rams in thin flesh, that were being
well fed ard badly over-worked. The owner
was ashamed of them as well he might be
or, more properly, ashamed of himself. They
were splendidly bred rams, but lacked condi-
ton and force for the work required of them
Of the number, perhaps one-half will die be.
fore Spring. Certain it is, the owner will
not show these rams to anybody if he can
avoid it.
Be proud Of your rams. Have them good
enough to exhibit anyhow, and in such phys.
cal fix and force as to represent your flock all
the time. The stock ram at the head of the
flock is as worthy an animal as a proud, in.
telligent, eDterprising man could wish for
Rural World.
Two New and Promising Cucumbers.
We received last Spring two new cucum.
bers, very different in character. One was
little dwarf fellow, not much more than six
inches in length. and the other half as many
feet. The small one came from Russia, and
proved the earliest cucumber Oh the grounds,
and wonderfully productive. When young
it appeared very much like the old Early
Russian, which is variety of very excellent
flavor, and of pale green color, but as this
new Russian obtained age it began to cover
itself with rich brown netting, until when
fit for seed it was of an exceedingly rich rus.
set color and elegantly Melted. OF course we
are not able to judge of its productiyeness by
one trial, but we may mention that we rip.
ened $50 on bed eight by twelve feet. II
is called Melted Russian.
The other we obtained from Germany, and
it is named the Swan-Neck, on account of its
length, we suppose, and of the ether fact
that.at its stem it is curved, like the neck of a
swan near the head. 1t is of superior quail
ty, but of its hardness for out door culture
we are not prepared to speak. as our plants
were started in hot-bed. 1t is a White
Spine variety, rather light in color, and meas
ures two or more feet in length. On bed
eight by sixteen we grew 105. 1t is certainly
grand variety for dollhouse and hot-bed
culture, and may answer for out door work in
this country. We have tried great many
new varieties lately, but the two described
seem to be the most promising; and yet, with
our Long Green, White Spine. etc., we are
pretty well provided with good varieties.-
Vick's Floral Guide.