Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-08-18

developed up to It's full extent In NOrtn
Dakota Is winter rye. The acreage In
North Dakota devoted to the raising
of this cereal while increasing rapidly
does not compare as it should with.
other small grain acreages. especially.
wheat with which It has much in com
mon. The following data from the re-
ports Of the Crop Reporting Bureau
show this:
Acreage in N D. in.
1914 1915 1915
Rye 80. $4,000 100000 $4,000
Wheat .~.7,2s5,o00 8.350,o0o 7,15o,ooo
However what the average farmer
is interested in is whether or not the
raising Of rye is profitable. That it has
been profitable for the past three years
is shown. Previous to the outbreak OF
the war the price per bushel was not
as high and as q result the acre re-
turn was not as great.
Yield per acre as compared to
1914 1915 1915
Blu. Blu. Blu.
Wheat ...:.........ll.2 49, 20
Return per acre as compared to
wheat, based on the December l price:
1914 1915 1915
Wheat .........S11.81 1883 1896
Rye ............ 14.36 11.86-, 1852
This certainly shows that under war
conditions the raising of rye Is profit
able. One must also take into consid-
GRAFTON that the returns from the 1915
crop were cut down to a large extent
by a heavy June frost just at the time
the rye was ~blossoming, a thing that
very seldom happens. One must also
consider that most of the rye that Is
grown in North Dakota is simply
stubbled in on land that is not in a
good. state Of cultivation, generally
only disced and then seeded.
Rye has and is still being grown to
clean up land. AS the rye plant ma
lures early very few of the wild al
will mature and shatter their seed.
AS a smother crop to assist in check
ing the growth of weeds Including
quack grass and SOW thistle rye has
been used with considerable success.
Used for this purpose the ground Is
generally thoroughly summer fallow-
ed and seeded fairly early. The strong
fall growth and the early vigorous
spring growth sets back to quite an
extent all weeds. Immediately after
cutting, the rye field should be plowed
80 as to stop all fall growth of the
weeds and kept thoroughly black ana
possibly seeded medium late, the next
spring to barley or some cultivated
crop.
The growing Of rye for the purpose
of checking weeds under the condi-
Etions noted in the preceding para
graph is especially goodaon lands that
are light and likely to, blow. Light
lands that have been summer fa1Iowed
are, very subject to blowing especially
In the spring OF the year. Later when
the cropssare rooted this does not ,oc-
cur, not even to any great extent with
rIfvyf1 vyoI Il An1HoE fho$ y .1nNk NrcnrnA
This is due to the fact that the blow
Ing Of particles of soil from one field
unto another for a long period OF
time smoothes 1t down 80 that 1t In
turn starts to blow.
On large farms where the soil blows
and where labor and other conditions
are such that sintertilled crops, cannot
be successfully handled the growing
of rye following summer fallow Is es-
|pecially recommended.
One other feature with rye that liz
worth consideration is, that it can be
pastured In the fall or In the spring
and Will still produce fair crop.
While this procedure generally cuts
down the yield, underssoY1e conditions
1T sis advisable az when, seeded early
in the fall 1t throws out culms OF
Joints, and in the spring when due to
lack Of moisture or other conditions
1T heads out when very short.
Cultural Methods, Selection OF Soil.
While rye does better on a poor soil
than any other cereal II is advisable
where the object is to raise a large
crop 10 put 1t on good land. Land that
has beer summer falIowed or that has
corn omit is often drilled In between
the rows. 1t can be stubbled in with
good results ana when put In In this
manner It Is done with d minimum OF
expense. Locally where the crop has
been stabbed In the yield runs from
ten to twenty bushels per acre where
put in on summer faliow IT runs as
high as As bushels per acre.
Place In Rotation.
In e rotation 1t should occupy the
same place as wheat, either on sum-
mef fallow or the second crop after q
lcrop%of CORN. Ik p IS excellent crop