AGRICULTURAL TEXT-BOOK. 89 



223. It is also employed to plow in as a green manure. In 

 the lighter class of wheat soils, it is recommended, after harvest 

 ing the wheat^ to plow, and sow rye as early as possible ; pasture 

 with sheep and young stock through the winter, and then plow 

 in for a spring crop. This system, alternated with two or more 

 years of grass or clover, will rapidly restore impoverished soil?. 

 For this purpose the Multicole, and probably St. John s Day 

 variety are the best, but we are not aware that the latter has yet 

 been tried in the United States. 



224. There are no weeds peculiar to rye; but those which 

 are troublesome to wheat will generally be found among this 

 grain, according to the season in which it is sown. 



225. The only parasitic fungus affecting rye is ERGOT (Scle- 

 rotium clavis.) 



Ergot is a kind of spur which issues from the grain of rye. It is not 

 a fungus itself, but a morbid growth caused by the existence of minute 

 fungi in the grain. It is not confined to rye alone, but has been ob 

 served occasionally in wheat and barley, and some of the grasses. It 

 is a poison when eaten in bread, producing a spontaneous gangrene, 

 called ergotism. It is also a powerful medicine, for which purpose it was 

 first used iu the United States, in 1807. The composition of the ash of 

 ergot is as follows : (Engelmann.) 



Potash, - - 45.38 j! Sulphuric acid, - 0.02 



Soda, - - - 16.791 1 Chlorine, - - 2.36 



Lime, - - 1.68 1| Silica, - - 15.60 



Magnesia, - - 5.341] 



Oxide of iron, - 2.34J 104.95 



Phosphoric acid, - - 15.44;! 



Per centage of Ash, - 0.36 



It is chiefly found where rye grows in damp adhesive soils. Ani 

 mals should not be allowed to eat it ; as some will do when it is mixed 

 with grain. 



226. There are no insects peculiar to this cereal. 



227. The straw, owing to its length and stiffness, is useful for 

 many economical purposes, but not as good for feeding stock as 

 some other sorts, unless cut and bruised. 



