168 CULTURE OF THE CEREALS. 



558. On sheep farms winter rye sown the previous fall, 

 will often furnish a very early and nutritious feed in spring 

 I M fore the pastures are in a condition to graze, and the 

 more extended use of this crop for this purpose would be 

 judicious, particularly on dry poor soils near the home 

 stead. 



559. Rye straw cut short and steamed,- is sometimes 

 mixed with Indian or linseed meal, shorts, or other fine 

 feed, and contains more nutriment than the straw of 

 wheat, but it is so tough and coarse that it is not relished 

 by cattle unless artificially prepared, while its value for 

 other purposes is such that it is seldom used as food for 

 stock. 



560. The principal disease of this plant is 

 known under the name of ergot. It is a 

 kind of spur or morbid growth which takes 

 the place of the grain. Ergot is not con 

 fined exclusively to rye, but occasionally 

 attacks some of the other grasses, though 

 more common in rye. It is poisonous. Rye 

 is more liable to it in low damp lands, than 

 Fi &quot; 30 on dry and light uplands. It is illustrated 

 in figure 30. 



561. Barley. Barley (Fig. 81,) grows and ripens with 

 astonishing rapidity, and hence may be cultivated in 

 many climates where other cereals cannot. It requires a 

 light fertile soil well cultivated and free from weeds, 

 which are more injurious to it than to any other grain. 

 The manure used should be old and well decomposed. 



562. Barley should be made to follow a hoed crop, if 

 possible, and shoiild be sown as soon after the tenth of 

 May as practicable. It may be simply harrowed in on 

 stiff soils, or harrowed and rolled on light ones. After 



