The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-07-16
Rye a Profitable Crop.


Daring several months past the price
of rye has been higher than that of
wheat in all the leading markets in the
country. The crop last year was some
what short while the demand for it was
unusually large. A very large class of
our foreign inhabitants were accustomed
to the use of rye in their old homes, and
continue to eat it in preference TO wheat
after they come to this country. Bread
made of rye retains its moisture longer
than that made of wheat. 1t has more
flavor, and on that account is more palat-
able when eaten without butter or fruit
sauce. The great number of persons
who are daily arriving from various por-
tons of Germany and the Scandinavian
countries will cause large demand for
rye next season, and farmers will do
well to consider this fact in deciding
what grains to SOW. The circumstance
that the price of rye Is higher than that
of wheat shows that the former is neg
lected crop, and one that is deserving Of
more attention than it receives. Rye is
more productive as well as a more
hardy plant than wheat, while it is less
liable to be injured by insects. 1t will
produce a good crop upon a poorer soil,
and one that has received less prepara-
ton. Many tracts of loose, sandy soil
will produce large crops of rye, on
which paying crop of wheat, corn or
potatoes could not be grown. There
are many large tracts of sandy land in
the Western States, considered almost
yalueless, that will produce large and
excellent crops of rye. These tracts
could be purchased and utilized by grow
ING rye to most excellent advantage.
With very few exceptions rye is only
raised by small and poor farmers. A
large proportion of all the rye produced
in the country is raised on little patches
of from one to five acres in extent. We
have wheat fields extending over several
thousand acres, but it is an unusual
thing to find even q quarter of a section
of land in one body devoted to the grain
that is worth more than wheat.
Other plants classed as cereals are of
little or no value except for the grain
they produce. Their foliage and straw
are not of sufficient worth to take into
the account in estimating the value of
the crop. In many parts of the country
the straw of wheat, barley and oats is
burned in the field. In other places
they are only used for feeding stock.
The straw of rye, however, is very val
liable for large number of purposes.
1t makes excellent paper stock. 1t forms
the best material for thatch. 1t is supe-
rior to any other kind of straw for use in
packing furniture, glass, and crockery-
ware, for tying round nursery stock, for
fillinn hodc op1 fo,. ooro,.i,fr tho to,Do of
stacks. Next to flags that grow 'in
marshes and water courses it is the best
material for bands for tying up bundles
of grain and corn stalks. When de-
signed for this purpose the stalks should
be cut at the season of blossoming. They
are then strong and pliable, and bands
made of them are easily applied to bum
dies. These bands will be readily eaten
by stock of all kinds. Bands made of
rye straw, cut when the plant is in bios
som, are also useful for tying up grape
vines. If rye is harvested at this stage
in its growth the ground can be plowed
up sufficiently early to admit of raising
another crop on the same land. Rye is
an excellent crop to raise for feeding off
those seasons of the year when grass
atsirds but little food. The seed may
be sown to excellent advantage between
the rows of standing corn, and covered
with the cultivator when the crop is
worked for the last time. In favora-
BILE season it will afford much food dur
ing the latter part of the fall as well as
during the winter and early spring. Rye
is also very valuable crop to raise for
the purpose of blowing under with a
view of fertilizing the soil. A heavy
growth of it may often be raised on land
that will produce but very little red
clover, which is generally raised for the
purpose of blowing under. The seed
costs less and the period of growth is
much shorter Chicago Times.