Cultivation of Arable Land. Rye. Quantity of Seed Jfter-Cullurc of. 43 



general, pretty much the fame as thofe of wheat ; but when cultivated for green 

 food, it may be advantageous to fow early, as in Auguft and September ; but it majr 

 be fown in October, and during the winter months, until the beginning of March, 

 in particular cafes, as where the early fowings have failed, or there is an intention 

 of having a fucceffion of this fort of feed for Iheep. 



Seed. The general allowance of feed, where the crop is defigned to remain 

 for grain, is in mod fituations from about two bufhels to two and a half; but 

 when the intention is to feed it off, three, or even more, may be a better propor 

 tion, as the plants in fuch cafes fhould ftand confiderably thicker upon the ground, 

 in order that the largefl: poiTible quantity of green food may be provided. As the 

 procefs of germination in this fort of grain is rather flow, it may be advifable to 

 put it into the ground when it is in a tolerably dry condition, otherwife much of 

 &amp;lt;[t may perilh, efpecially in wet feafons. 



Jt was formerly a prevailing cuftom to blend fevcral other forts of feed with 

 that of rye, and the practice flill continues in fome diflridts in rcfped to wheat 

 and winter tares ; but it is by no means either judicious or ufeful, fince, in the 

 jfirfl cafe, the rye is in a Hate fit for reaping long before the wheat, confequently 

 much lofs muft be fuftained ; and, in the latter, it is moftly in a condition to be 

 cut as green food fome weeks before the tares, and becomes ripe at much too early 

 a period for them.* 



Where wheat is combined with rye, it is in many diflricts termed me/Jin, the 

 proportion of the latter to that of the former being regulated by the nature of the 

 foil, and the judgment of the cultivator, the principle being that of giving the 

 largefl: proportion of rye to the lighteft kinds of foil.f 



After-culture. When this fort of crop is grown for the purpofe of the grain, 

 it will be conflantly neceflary to keep it clean in the early ftages of its growth by 

 hand weeding and hoeing, when they may appear requifite ; but where the inten 

 tion is merely that of affording a fupply of green food for the ufe of fhccp or other 

 animals in the more early fpring months, no further culture will be wanted after 

 the crop has been put into the ground. 



This fort of crop is known to be ready for the fickle by the ftraw of the (terns 

 becoming of a yellowifh colour, the ears hanging down, and the grain feeling 

 hard, and in a plump and full condition. 



In the poor fandy foils of Suffolk, good crops of this fort are feldom afforded, 



* Modern Agriculture, and Correfted Report of Middlcfex. 

 t Correftcd lloport of tljc North Riding of Yorkflure. 



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