CROPS. 469 



scarified, and the spelt merely harrowed in. If it is deemed 

 necessary to manure the land in such case, the manure is spread 

 on the potato ground, the seed then sown, and both thoroughly 

 harrowed in. 



With the husks adhering to the grain, spelt is said to furnish 

 a substantial and excellent provender for horses. The straw 

 being very strong, it is much sought after for the manufacture 

 of hats. It is not a salable grain in the markets, because wheat 

 is generally preferred, and because the millers object to the 

 grinding of it. 



I have heard of a crop of ninety-four bushels to the acre, but 

 I lack faith in results so extraordinary. In comparing this with 

 wheat, it is to be remembered that this was measured in the husk. 



The proportions of spelt in the straw, without taking any 

 account of the stubble, are given as follows : 



Grain-clean, 46-38 



Husks, 15-05 



Straw, 36-43 



Loss, 2-14 



100-00 



And 100 parts of the grain in the husk give as follows : 



Grain-clean, 72-96 



Husks, 23-67 



Loss, 3-37 



These results can be considered only as approximations to 

 exactness, as they must be affected by a variety of circumstances. 



There is a smaller and inferior kind of spelt,* which is only 

 cultivated where it is thought too poor even for rye or oats, but 

 which yields very little. The flour of this grain is excellent for 

 some domestic purposes, and it is thought to pay the little care 

 and labor which it receives. 



3. RYE. Rye is very extensively cultivated in Europe in 

 Great Britain to a small extent ; on the Continent, and especially 

 in the northern portions, it forms a principal part of the bread of 



* Triticum monococum. 

 VOL. ii. 40 



