30 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



first, oi" even later, though the difference in the time of blooming 

 will be less than the difl'erence in the time of sowing the seed. 



Winter wheat is an equally good crop for feeding green and comes 

 in just after the rye season is past. My own farm of twent^'-six 

 acres has now growing upon it about nine acres of winter rye and 

 wheat which will be cut for green feed or hay next Ma}' ; from one 

 and one-half to two tons per acre being a moderate j'ield of well 

 cured dry fodder. These crops, whether dry or green, are a great 

 help to a farmer, who in the spring of the 3ear fiuds his hay mow 

 insufficient for carrying his stock through to the time for turning to 

 pasture. They add to the length of the green food season, and 

 cows will always increase in their ^neld of good milk or butter, when 

 changed from dry hay to green rye or wheat. 



Owing to a short hay crop last 3'ear, my own cattle were kept on 

 rye ha^' for nearly- a month previous to turning to pasture, and the 

 past spring yielded nearh' their usual flow of milk. In California 

 hay from grain is more common and better known in the markets 

 than hay made from grasses. 



Rj'e will, on man}- farms, fill the gap between ha}' and grass, but 

 when the area of pastui'e is limited, I would sow early in spring, as 

 soon as the soil is in suitable condition, a field of spring rye at the 

 rate of four bushels per acre. This crop will come immediately fol- 

 lowing the winter rye or wlieat. Oats may be sown at the same 

 season, but they will be longer in coming to the scythe. Oats will 

 need five bushels of seed, if it is desired to have the straw fine and 

 soft. A little later barley may be sown, for the same purpose, using 

 four bushels of seed. 



After the danger from spring frosts is passed. Western or Southern 

 dent corn, may be sown broadcast at the rate of eight to ten bushels 

 of seed per acre, well worked in with a disk harrow or cultivator. 

 This is rather expensive seeding, and no larger plot should be 

 devoted to this crop than will be required for green feeding, and the 

 cutting should all be finished by the time the growth has reached 

 four feet in height. It will then be full of green, healtliy leaves and 

 but a small i)roportion of stalk. If allowed to stand late the lower 

 leaves fade and die, and the stalks which are densely shaded, are 

 very inferior, especially if they fall down and lie for weeks on the 

 ground. Corn sown thickly, later in the season, after the weather 

 becomes warm and favorable to rapid growth, would be almost sure 

 to lodge and rot on the ground. The later plantings I prefer to 



