The Arizona sentinel., 1886-09-11
RYE FOR PASTURE.
How It Can Readily Be Made Profitable in
 Many Ways.

HOW It Gan headlly Be Made PrOHtaDte m
 Many Ways.
 When it can be done, and by proper management it can nearly always be possible, patch of rye, especially for pasturing or early spring feeding, should be seen on every farm. The size or acreage should be gauged by the number of stock kept on the farm. For winter pasturage it can readily be made profitable, even for that purpose alone, and is used as long as possible, and is then turner under in the spring for crop of corn, while it can still be made more valuable by allowing it to make good start to grow, and when the stock are turned into the pasture early in the spring, cut them a feed of rye night and morning. Stock crave some thing green very early in the spring, and very often they are turned into the pastures before they can possibly be able to secure any thing like full supply. A supply of rye cut and fed green will aid materially in satisfying their wants and Tn securing a better start in the pastures, On reasonably good soil it makes rapid growth and very large amount of feed can be secured on a small plot. In order to secure large growth, either for pasturing during the winter or early spring feeling, it should be sown as early as possible in the fall. If the weather is favorable, so that the seed will germinate readily, the 1st of September is none too early. 1 have found it good plan to prepare the ground ahead the same as for wheat, as soon as possible after harvest, blowing well and narrowing until the sur face is in fine tilth. It will pay 10 take some pains to make the surface to the depth of three or four inches as fine as possible, rolling, dragging or narrowing. if necessary, to secure this. While I believe in reasonably early seeding, and try to prepare the ground so as to be able to do this, there is very little gained by seeding when the soil is not suffic; ently moist to insure a speedy germinatiOn of the seed. While, of course, the seed may germinate even after laying in the soil for some time when the ground is too dry to induce germination, yet there is so much risk of loss that when it can be done l pre- fer to wait until we have sufficient moisture to make the seed grow in as short time as possible. When some reasonably rich land is put in good tilth before seeding, from one and half to two bushels per acre should be used, de- pending somewhat upon the time of sowing and the fertility of the soil. If used for pasture it should be sown reasonably thick. When sown for grain three or four pecks will be suffi- cient. Use common wheat drill and try to have the soil in readiness so as to SOW as early as possible in September. If intended for pasture during the win ter rather than let grow and use for cutting off and feeding early in the spring, plat thatis easily fenced should be used; if intended to cut off it should be sown as convenient to the stables as possible. It is valuable for all kinds of stock, and will enable you to furnish green food to your stock nearly month earlier than if no rye is run, besides standing winter grazing better than any other kind or grass or grain. feel like urging every farmer to run patch of rye in proportion to the number of stock kept up on the farm, and believe it will pay fully as well as any thing else on the farm.-N 7. Shepherd, i1i Western PLoVnlGn, |