The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1876-02-10
Rye as q Green Manure for the Gar.
den and Farm.

NOTHING in gardening is of more i'm
pOrtance than manure, and it is, of course,
never possible 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, after several years trial
of it, to be green manures, or growing
crops plowed under.
Every one knows the value of clover as
fertilizer. but in many parts of the West
it cannot he 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 I am quite certain
that for the gardener, and often the farm
er, 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 need
ed for them again till May, by which time
the rye will be as heavy as can be plowed
under. Upon the farm, too, it comes in
nicely, if the succeeding crop is. to be
corn, roots or potatoes, and more particu-
larly sowed corn for fodder, for which it
seems especially adapted. Even after
corn succeed well with it, sowing it
broadcast and cultivating it in. leavin g
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 quick.
er and larger growth in the spring. When
the ground is wanted for planting
from May 20 to June I've turn it under
with chain. 1t is often three feet high,
and thick as only such a heavy crop can
be, but with heavy chain hung from the
end of the whiffle cross-bar to the pillow
beam, with slack enough so that it will
drag just ahead of the uprising furrow, it
will pull down every stalk into the empty
furrow as nicely as it could be laid by
hand, and the whole mass be 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 acct
dent. Some years ago, just at planting
time, found myself short of suitable
land for still another variety of seed
melons, which: l was obliged to grow,
and leased ten acres of land upon which
was growing crop of rye. This turned
under and planted to nutmeg melon. The
occasional straws sticking up gave the
field a rugged appearance for time, but
when the midsummer drought was upon
us and other fields succumbed this one
looked as fresh and vigorous as could be,
and in fruiting even exceeded the prom
ise Its appearance gave. The yield OF
seed was more than one. half larger than
on similar land in good heart, but not
green MANFRED. have practiced it ever
since and always with satisfaction, the re-
suits the last season being on SOME fields
more striking than in any previous year.
Its wonderful efficiency in promoting
yield is due, apprehend, not only to the
available fertility it furnishes, but also to
its mechanical effect on the soil, thus
maintaining moisture through our worst
droughts. ,ss },1s5s '.,fsfsss -
Of course I would myself, and would
recommend to others to, get every forkful
OF manure to be had and apply It.
And yet upon the same land would, in
addition, apply green manure whenever
practicable. All this is done more evenly
by tie green crop. Seed and labor to.
gether cost me but $3.50 per acre / can
not say that it adds 40 lnuch fertility to
the soil as forty loads of manure, but / do
say that in our droughty, seasons It pro-
duces as great an increase Of crop IS do
forty two-horse loads of good manure II
certainly pays 10 practice 1t largely even
on land we'll supplied with stable manure,
as that increases the vigor and growth 81
the green crop, which IS Immediately, with
additions, returned to the'soil. Joyra0l
cf AGRICULTURE. -