Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1876-09-19
agricultural,
- -
rye as a Green Manure,

Nothing IN gardening Is OF more I'M
portance than manure, and it Is Of course
never possible TO get too much. In fact,
/, is rarely possible for the gardener to
get enough stable manure, and be must
resort to some others, the cheapest and
best Of which, | believe, after several
years trial Of it, to be green manureS, 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, aud with the gardener 1t
Is rarely practicable After trying many
different green crops, am quite certain
that for the gardener, and often the far,
mer, in the west, nothing Is 50 valuable
- rye Its growth Is made late IN au-
tumn aud early in spring, at a time when
little else will grow, so that the ground
is free for this particular use. In fact,
all the tender vegetables are of in time
TO SOW It in September, and the ground Is
not needed for them again till May, by
which time the rye vii. bee as heavy -
can be p,ouched under. Upon the farm,
zoo, it comes in nicely, If the succeeding
crop = TO be corn, roots or potatoes, ana
moro particularly sowed corn tor fodder,
for which 1t seems especially adapted
Even after corn | succeed well with II,
sowing 1t broadcast and cuitivating 1t in,
leaving the corn hills standing, as they
gather snow and help to protect the
rye in winter SOW the seed thickly-
about o pecks TO the acre-and early If
possible, so that the plants shall stool out
before winter, endure exposure better, and
make q quicker aud larger growth in the
spring. When the ground Is wanted for
planting-uSually from May 10th to june
l>t-we turn It under with chain. Ii Is
often . feet high, and thick as only such a
heavy crop can be, but with a heavy chain
hung from the end OF the wbitietree cross
bar 70 the plough bean,with slack enough
80 that 1t Will drag Just ahead OF the up
rising turrOw, it Will pull down every
stalk into the empty turrow Is nicely as
1t could be laid 10y hand, and the whole
mass buried out OF sight. \ little prac-
tice viii soon teach Just the amount Of
slack needed
My attention was first called to the
value Of this crop, for manure, almost 10y
accident Some wears ago, Just at plant
iug time, | found myself short of suita-
bic land for still another variety of seed
melons, which was obliged 10 grow, and
leased ten acres Of land upon which was
growing u crop I'VE. This turned under
and planted to Nutmeg Melon. The oc-
casional straws sticking up gave the field
ragged appearance for time, but when
the mid summer drought WAS upon us,and
other fields >Uccumbed, thi, one looked
As fresh and vigorous as could be, and in
irultlng even exceeded the promise Its
appearance gave. The yield Of seed was
more than oue-haif larger than on similar
land IN good heart, but not green manured. !
l have praetieed 1t ever since. and always
with satisfaction, the results the last sea-
son being, on some fields, more striking
than IN any previous year. Its wonder
iul efficiency IN promoting yield is due, !
apprehend, not only TO the available fer
uIty it. furnishes, but also 10 its mechan-
ical effect on the soil, and thus maintain
ing moisture through our worst droughts.-
OF course | would myself, and would |
recommend 10 others, TO get every fork
full OF manure 10 be had, and apply il. |
And vet upon the same land, | would. in |
addition, apply green manure whenever
practicable. The labor Of applying
evenly forty loads Of manure is eonsid- !
cradle. All Is this done more evenly by
the green crop. Seed and labor together |
cost NE but So 30 per acre. cannot |
say that 1t adds as much fertility 10 the |
the soil as forty loads Of manure, but | !
90 say that IN our droughty season i;
produces As great an increase Of crop as
DO forty twO-horse loads of good manure.
Ii certainly pays TO practice it, and to /
practice II largely, even on land well sup
phed with stable manure, as that IN |
creases the yigOr and growth Of the green |
crop, which is Immediately with additions
to the soil.-TRoot's Garden |
Manuel.