RYE. 271 



NANTUCKET. 



Statement of E. W. Gardner. 



The sample of rye which I exhibited at our cattle show and 

 fair, was from twenty-two bushels, which I raised at Siasconset, 

 on " Bunker Hill," on eighty rods of land. The land on which 

 this rye grew is sand and loam, on a subsoil of red sand and 

 gravel. It had been used for several years in grass without any 

 manure, until it was scarcely worth mowing. In August of 

 last year, I put upon it broadcast about thirty-seven full cart- 

 loads of what we usually denominate " kelp," but which, in 

 fact, is sea mosses of various kinds, including a large portion of 

 " caragheen," or " Irish moss." This was ploughed in at a 

 depth of about ten inches, and sown with about one-third of a 

 bushel of rye, a peck of Timothy, and five pounds of clover seed, 

 early in September. The rye grew to about six feet in height, 

 and from early spring until it was ripe, its beauty attracted the 

 attention of all passers by. About the time of the last rain pre- 

 ceding our great drought, I counted the grains of several heads 

 in full milk, which numbered from fifty to seventy-two, and at 

 that time it gave promise of a good yield ; but the drought 

 ripened it prematurely, and it yielded only twenty-two bushels 

 of grain, and about two tons of straw. 



What little Timothy and clover were visible when the rye 

 was cut, soon dried up, and as near one-fifth of the straw was 

 left when cut with the sickle, it was ploughed in, and in the 

 spring will be sown with oats and grass seed. 



The value of the crop is as follows : — 



22 bushels of rye, at $1, 



2 tons of straw, at |10, 



Half the value of the manure. 



The cost of the land was |75, the interest of which is 

 " manure, ...... 



" ploughing and planting, . 



