The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-10-30
Agriculture.
sow SOME RYE.

Hrr. -
Prn is one of the most popular
u+nte~ crops on the Southern farm,
and Justly 50, because it is a very re.
liable one. being able to stand more
,v+r,raes in temperature, and more
extremes of wet and dry weather
than almost any other crop we have
,,+ one great trouble with the
s,rs-ern farmer is, that he does not
sow the crop early enough in the
fall
For rye crop to do its best, it
should be put in the ground not later
than the first of November; in that
ra-a it -cts Il good start before cold
weather sets in. In all farm econ
7rlv the aim should be to rotate the
cror~uS much as posi- BILE. Rye should,
# n1s-ible. follow some root crop,
s7ch as potatoes or turnips. 1t has
one rreut recommendation in that it
s1wavS leaves the soil clean of cut
worms and all kinds of slugs. You
will also see very few ants in field
where rye has been lately grown,
and whom a crop of it succeeds a cab
hare crop. it has the effect of clean
inc ND the soil very much for the
benefit of succeeding crops. In all
sections where plant blight proves
destructive to trucking crops, such
as tomatoes, egg plant, etc, a rye
crop succeeding these crops purifes
and cleans up the soil. For these
purposes alone rye is one of the most
valuable crops we can grow.
In preparing for a rye crop, to get
the best results, the ground must be
nut in us perfect a condition as pos
,ible. for it Is a crop that must get a
good seed bed to do we'll in. The
land should be Thoroughly we'll
pI0wed. and then narrowed over and
over again until it is of the required
fnenC~s. Then run Il shovel culti-
vator us even over it as posi- BILE.
This leaves small even burrows where
the seed falls on sowing it. Then,
after sowing the seed, run the same
tool croSsways of the last; this Gov
crs the seed thoroughly and to
pr0pe. depth, and finish off by run
ing a fine tooth harrow or weeder
across that again Then, if at all
possible, the whole field should be
Well rolled, failing to have a roller,
good drag made of two inch plank
viii DO very we'll.
Now as to the fertilizing of this
crop: One cannot expect a profit
able crop of it unless he gives it the
proper kind of fertilizer, and plenty
of it. The rye crOpis what is known
a- ii gross feeder; it will get away
with d lot of fertilizer, but at the
same time it will give a good return
on the investment at harvest time.
A good rye fertilizer should analyze
5 per cent potash, s per cent. phos-
p..~.e acid. and 3 per cent. nitrogen );
.. r3 500 pounds per acre of this
VIII -ive very satisfactory results on
.-. ordinary pine lands of the South.
This fertilizer should be applied after
Il. blowing of the land, so that it
Will get the benefit of all the work
.r-- tr MKT we'll in the soil. After
II gets ID frost or two, Il little top
dressing of nitrate Of soda will help
8. make good grazing for stock.
'... must be exercised that no stock
.. rrned on it when it is wet with
.-..r dew or rain, and stock must
.. ..- On it gradually at first; never
...- more than 15 to 20 minutes the
..- time. If the crop Is judiciOusly
II it will make Il better crop at
--.~ting than if let alone. 4 great
...r farmers grow Il rye crop just
ST.. winter grazing for their stock,
-. then plow under in spring for
....r crops to follow it. This is an
lent plan, if one can afford it,
.. very often happens that for
.. is scarce when the rye crop is
s.r for cutting, and it is cut and
v the stubble plowed under.
In any case it is a valuable crop on
-.~ farm. and every farmer in the
Ind should SOW as large an acreage
.. it as possible this year, for feed is
-..ng to be feed before the end of
winter.
With best wishes for The Pro
-re~~ive Farmer.
c. K. McQUARRIE.
DE Euniak Springs, Fla.