Z21 



RUTILE. 



RYE-GRASS. 



222 



Hydride of rvtyl (C M H,,0,, H) rutic or Caprie aldehyd. This body 

 forms the greater part of the volatile oil of the common rue. [RCTA, 

 grareolttu, in NAT. HIST. Drv.] Its specific gravity is -837 ; boiling 

 point from 442 Fahr. to 446 Fahr. ; vapour density 6'83. It crystal- 

 lises in transparent plates at a few degrees below the freezing 

 point of water ; gives crystalline combinations with the alkaline bisul- 

 phites ; is but little acted upon\by sulphuric or hydrochloric acids, 

 but is converted into rutit and when placed in contact with nitric 

 acid. 



Rutic and (C^H^O.) or enpric arid. This acid may be obtained 

 from sources other than just mentioned. It is one of the products of 

 the saponification of butter ; it may be formed by the action of nitric 

 acid upon oleic acid ; it is contained in small quantity in cocoa-nut oil, 

 and is also found in the oily matters that accompany the distillation 

 of Scotch whiskey. From the latter source it is most conveniently 

 obtained, though the operation is tedious and somewhat difficult. 



Rutic acid is crystalline and colourless; it has an odour recalling 

 that emitted from the skin of a goat, melts at 81 Fahr., is very solu- 

 ble in alcohol or ether, is not soluble in cold water, but is slightly 

 so in hot water. It is monobasic and forms crystalline salts termed 

 rvM 



Rutic alter (CjoH^CJIjX),) separates as an oily liquid on passing 

 dry hydrochloric acid through a solution of rutic acid in absolute 

 alcohol. Its density is 0'882. Ammonia converts it into rutamidt. 

 The latter body crystallises in brilliant plates. 



KPTI1.K. [TITANIUM.] 



I ; I ' T 1 1. 1 N*. [SALICYLIC CROC p.] 



ItrTIXIU ACID. (C^H.O.) A crystalline acid contained in the 

 stems and leaves of rue. It is insoluble in cold water and ether, but 

 readily dissolves in boiling water or alcohol. When an alcoholic solu- 

 tion of chloride of calcium is added to an alcoholic solution of rutinio 

 acid, a bright green precipitate is thrown down. 



KVK is a plant of the family of the Oraminex, and bears naked 

 seeds on a flat ear furnished with awns like barley. The straw is solid, 

 the internal part being filled with a pith, which, if it causes it to be 

 inferior as fodder, makes it more valuable for litter, and particularly 

 for thatching. The value of the straw is often nearly equal to that of 

 the grain. Rye grows on poor light soils which are altogether unfit 

 for wheat, and hence tracts of light sands are often denominated ryi- 

 lands. On these soils this grain is far more profitable than wheat, 

 which can only be raised there at a great expense of marling and man- 

 uring. The value of rye in those countries where it forms a considerable 

 11 of the food of the labouring classes, is from two-thirds to three- 

 fourths of that of wheat. From experiments made to ascertain the 

 quantities of nutritious matter in rye and wheat, Thaer states their 

 real comparative value to be as 64 to 71. It was formerly raised in 

 considerable quantities in England, cither alone or mixed with wheat, 

 and was then called malm, from the old French word mml(, which 

 means muttd. The meslin when ground produced a very wholesome 

 and palatable household bread, and it was thought advantageous to 

 sow the two sorts together, from the notion that if either failed tlu rr 

 would still be a crop of the other. This, however, was an error. No 

 doubt the wheat would often fail on inferior soils when the rye would 

 thrive ; but the reverse was seldom or never the case ; and besides the 

 rye comes to maturity at least a fortnight before the wheat. If the 

 soil is capable of bearing a moderate crop of wheat, it would be much 

 more advantageous to sow one portion of a field with rye and another 

 with wheat ; and if meslin bread is desired, the two grains may be 

 mixed in any required proportion. Excellent bread is made of two 

 parts of wheat and one of rye ground together, with only the coarse 

 bran sifted out. 



Rye is at present raised in very small quantities in England. It 

 is however extensively cultivated on the Continent, especially in the 

 Netherlands, where it is the chief grain from which the spirit 

 commonly called Hollands is distilled, which is flavoured with juniper, 

 in Dutch called Urntnr, whence the name of Centra and its contrac- 

 tion gin. When malted it makes excellent beer, one bushel of rye 

 malt being equal to at least one and a quarter of barley malt The 

 cultivation of rye is very simple ; it is usually sown 2 or 3 bushels 

 per acre after wheat, where the soil is light and rich, or after turnips 

 and potatoes, in those soils which are not strong enough for wheat. 

 As it is ripe in June or July, turnips are often sown immediately 

 after ; and by the manure produced by these, as well as their effect on 

 the soil, a second crop of rye can be obtained the ensuing year. 

 This is no doubt contrary to all sound theory; but such is the 

 practice in Flanders, and they do not iiud that their crops diminish 

 in consequence. 



In England rye is mostly sown as a green crop, and when fed off 

 early in spring with sheep, the land is invigorated, and will bear excel- 

 lent potatoes or turnip.i the same year. This practice cannot be 

 sufficiently recommended ; and if the rye is sown very early in 

 autumn, it may be fed off in October and November, when sheep-feed 

 is beginning to fail and the turnips have not yet attained their full 

 size, with little detriment to the succeeding spring produce. 



Winter barley and winter oats have been substituted for rye as 

 spring fodder by some farmers; but on land of moderate quality 

 ry is generally preferred. It bears the severest winters, which in 

 not the case with barley or oats, 



The preparation of the land for rye is the same as for wheat, except 

 that in very light soils no more ploughings are required than will 

 clear the ground of weeds. If rye is sown after harvest, one plough- 

 ing only is usually given. It will thrive upon rich wheat soils, as well 

 as upon lighter, and, as it throws out numerous stems in rich land, it 

 is the more profitable as fodder, although the crop of grain might not 

 be so abundant when the plants are too much crowded. To have as 

 much green food as possible, the rye is always sown broadcast, three 

 bushels at least to an acre ; some sow a sack, and with advantage. 

 It is also usually sown amongst winter tares, which the stems of the 

 rye help to keep up from the ground : half a bushel of rye to three 

 bushels of tares is a fair proportion ; some farmers sow wheat instead 

 of rye, as being stronger in the stem, but besides its being more 

 expensive, it does not shoot so early as rye, nor is it so much stronger 

 in the green stem, as is supposed. Oats are invariably sown amongst 

 spring tares, and answer the purpose well. 



There is a variety of rye mentioned by continental authors by tlie 

 name of Seigle de la St. Jean, or St. John's-day rye, because it grows 

 so rapidly that if sown about St. John's Day (24th June), it will be 

 fit to mow green by the middle of September, and in favourable seasons 

 may be fed off again in November, without preventing its giving ample 

 feed in spring, and a good crop of grain at the next harvest. It has 

 been introduced into England, but whether or not owing to its 

 character not being maintained, it has not maintained its reputation. 

 There is no doubt that there are varieties of the same kind of plants 

 which have a much more vigorous vegetation than those commonly 

 cultivated ; and the introduction of them where they are not known 

 is an important benefit to agriculture. The celebrated agriculturist 

 Du Hamel du Monceau mentions an individual who had obtained, from 

 one sowing, five abundant cuts of green rye fur cattle in two years. If 

 any green plant is cut down before the fructification is completed, it 

 will in general throw out fresh stems ; and in very rich soils its 

 blossoming may thus be continually retarded, until the roots become 

 too weak to force successive stems. 



When the land is in good heart and clean after wheat-harvest, it 

 may be expeditiously cultivated by means of a strong scarifier, or some 

 similar instrument, which opens the soil several inches deep, without 

 turning it over ; and rye may be sown immediately, without using the 

 plough. This is an hnui ; of time and labour, as four or at 



most six horses will completely stir ten acres of laud in a day, which 

 may thus be immediately sown before the wheat is out of the field, or 

 fit to be carried. A week gained in the time of sowing may make all 

 the difference between a crop which can be eaten off before winter and 

 one whichwill only be fit for the sheep in the succeeding spring. The 

 weeds which may spring up with the rye will either be choked by its 

 luxuriance, or at all events will never shed their seeds, being mown or 

 fed off with the rye, and the roots ploughed in the next year. The 

 large perennial roots will thus be more easily taken out by the harrows, 

 and all the annual weeds will be destroyed. 



Although the value of rye as a green crop is fully admitted in 

 England, very little is grown for food or distillation ; yet on some poor 

 soils, where wheat and barley are now often sown with a very poor 

 return, and at a great expense of manure, rye and buckwheat would 

 give a much greater clear profit, and would require much less manu- 

 ring : and where there are not ready means of improving the soil by 

 claying or marling, the cultivation of rye would be found most advan- 

 tageous ; and, by means of sheep, very poor sandy soils might thus be 

 made profitable. 



Rye is subject to most of the diseases which attack the plants of the 

 family of the Gramiueic, such as rust, mildew, burnt-ear, and smut- 

 ball. These diseases are described in the article WHEAT. But there 

 is one remarkable disease, which, although sometimes found in wheat, 

 is much more commonly observed in rye. It is called the (rgot, the 

 French name of a cock's spur, which the diseased grain resembles in 

 shape. [EKQOT.] 



UYE-CJKASS, sometimes called Ray-Grass, is one of the most com- 

 mon of the artificial grasses ; it is of the family of the Gramincce of 

 the genus Lolium. There are several varieties, some annual and others 

 perennial, some producing a strong juicy grass, and others a small 

 diminutive plant. These varieties arise chiefly from difference of soil, 

 climate, and cultivation. In the convertible system of husbandry, 

 rye-grass performs a very essential part, especially the perennial sort, 

 which, mixed with different varieties of clover and other gras.- 

 produces a rich and close herbage, which may be either mown for hay 

 or depastured. In the course of two or three years the land is so 

 much recruited by the extension of the roots, and by the dung and 

 urine of the animals, that, without dung from the yard, it will produce 

 one or two very good crops. When clover is sown to remain only one 

 year, the annual variety of rye-grass is frequently sown with it. It 

 adds to the weight of the hay, and the stems of the rye-grass are a 

 good corrective to the richness of the clover, when they are given to 

 Dorses in a green state ; but when the hay is intended for the London 

 market, or that of any of the great mercantile towns, the tradesmen 

 and carmen prefer the pure clover hay, thinking it more nutritious. 

 Those who cultivate their land on the Norfolk system have a prejudice 

 against rye-grass, as being unfavourable to the succeeding crop of 

 wheat. Accordingly, when they have a layer of rye-grass, instead of 

 clover (because the clover, having been too often repeated, fails in the 



