The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1881-09-29
for the farmer.
RYE FOR GREEN MANURE.

Clover is unquestionably the best of all crops
to pillow for green manure, and its value has
been amply tested by many thousand farmers
Ii has been an additional value in the mechani-
cal operation Of its roots, especially in heavy
soils, which they penetrate and loosen. The
drawback is the time required TO obtain strong
growth of the crop, never less than part of two
years. We have used substitute in rye in GER
tain cases, to much advantage, and without in
terfering with the regular succession of other
crops. Ii may he employed successfully by SOW
ing, after the removal of a crop of fodder corn,
or Of corn planted for the grain the fodder be-
ing hauled on and properly secured, and
the common crop of corn removed by the appli-
ances figured and described page % of the
ninth volume of RHrai Affairs, or by any other
mode adopted for its removal. Or the rye may
be sown between the rows of shocks when the
crop remains the vacant strips being serious
detriment. The corn having been we'll cultiya-
ted as often as once a week until As high as the
horses back, the surface is left clean and mellow
when the corn is cut, and we have given it IA
pid and additional mellOwing with the Acme
harrow, blowing being unnecessary As this
harrow will thoroughly pnlyerize the surface Of
several acres in n day, hearty the whole expense
of putting in the crop consists in the three bush
els per acre of grain for seed. A smaller quanti-
ty will answer, but three bushels or even more
will be found more profitable by affording aden-
ser and heavier growth. Rye is of such a har-
dy character that 1t may be sown ut any time
during autumn 10 the middle Of November at the
North, the earlier sowing being earliest fit for
blowing under in the spring.
As thiekly-sOwn corn fodder does not exhaust
the soil like a crop for grain, there is little
objection to following fodder crop by another
one the next year, and the rye may be plOwed
under, after the heads are formed in ample time
to SOW another fodder crop about the first Of
June. For a fodder crop we have cut the first
growth with a moving machine, and made il ill.,
to excellent hay, Ted it green to animals. A
second crUp Immediately springs up. nearly as
heavy as the first, and this is plowed under as
fertilizer, and the fodder crop sown before July.
If n common corn CROP or one for fodder, is to
follow wheat, barley oats, there will be ample
time to manure the land, break the manure up
with the harrow, and to turn IL under with
gang pillow, Acme harrow common plow, for
an early crop of rye.
1t will be observed that by either of those
courses, the rye makes its growth between the
regular crops of the two successive years, and an
important gain is thus secured. The seed, when
properly put in, never fails to grow, giving il
another advantage over clover, which is less
tain to succeed every time. On the other hand,
clover Possesses the great advantage in its pene-
trating and pulyerizing roots, and its stems and
leaves rot down and decay sooner than those of
rye. 1t Will be seen, on comparing the analyses
of the crops, that clover has but slight advan-
tage in its enrichng ingredients over rye, fact
at which some agricultural chemists have ex-
pressed surprise. But if less than half the ell
riching value of clover, the ease with which o
heavy rye crop is obtained, and the little inter
ference its growth occasions with the regular
der of rotation render it well worthy of a thor
Ongh trial by farmers. Now is the time to make
preparations for II, and il may precede any crop
next spring which may be put in at the North as
late as the 10th of May or LIST of June, or later
common corn, for fodder, Hungarian
grass, turnips or ruta bagas, any of the later
sOiling crops--COHntry Gentleman.