DISEASES AND INSECTS <>,2Z 



281. Uses of the Straw. Rye straw is of little value for 

 feeding, but its stiff, wiry texture, which makes it dis- 

 tasteful to stock, makes it useful for various other pur- 

 poses. It is used in the manufacture of coarse straw 

 articles, such as cheap straw hats, strawboard, and paper, 

 and for the stuffing of horse collars. For the latter purpose, 

 the grain is flailed out to prevent the straw from being broken, 

 or is threshed with special machines which keep the straw 

 straight, Rye straw is also much in favor as packing mate- 

 lial for trees and other nursery stock, and as bedding for live 

 stock. Breeders of fancy horses and of exhibition stock 

 of other kinds often pay extra prices for rye straw for bedding. 

 In eastern markets rye straw is sometimes quoted as high 

 as second grade timothy and almost as high as the grain. 



282. Diseases and Insect Enemies. The most common 

 disease of rye is ergot, in which the grains are replaced by 

 long black or purplish masses of spores. This disease occurs 

 on many of the wild and cultivated grasses and occasionally 

 on the other small grains, but of our cultivated crops it is 

 most frequent on rye. The spores of this parasite enter the 

 ovule when it begins to develop and the growth of the fungus 

 gradually replaces that of the ovule. By the time the grain 

 matures, the spore-mass of ergot has developed into a hard, 

 elongated, slightly curved body from one half to one and one 

 half inches long. The fungus reduces the yield of grain to 

 .some extent, but it is most serious when it occurs in consider- 

 able quantity and causes poisoning and other serious dis- 

 orders of stock which eat it. Ergot is used to some extent 

 in medicine. The best preventive measures are thorough 

 cleaning of the seed and rotation of crops so as to avoid sow- 

 ing rye on the same land two years in succession. No other 

 disease of rye is serious, though both black and brown rust 

 sometimes occur. This crop is less seriously affected by 

 insect pests than wheat and preventive measures against 

 insect attacks are seldom necessary, 



