RYE. 389 



and experience Bhows it is relished by stock whei il is young. The val f 



rye as green (Vrd is greatly enhanced it' vetches or field peas are grown 

 with it. 



Hay. — Rye makes poor hay t'< r feed purposes, as the straw is too hard and 

 more or less solid. Rye hay is used for stuffing horse cm liars and for bedding. 



Soil and Climate. 



Rye is adapted to wide climatic ranges, and will do better at high altitudes 



and in exposed situations than any other cereal. On accounl of being a 



fairly deep rooter it is also drought resistant. It responds well to good 



soils, cultivation, and manuring, but is especially suited to lighl sandy loams. 



It is sometimes called " the grain of poverty," because it can be grown 

 on soils too poor, or where the climate is too severe, to grow the other cereal 

 crops successfully. If the farmer has a very poor patch of pasture from 

 which he desires to obtain an improved quality of teed, and it' it is not con- 

 sidered suitable for oats or wheat, it is a good plan to plant it to rye. Good 

 fe**d will I btainable from this crop in the early stages of its growth. 



Preparation of the Land, Sowing, &c. 



The preparation of the land for rye should lie as thorough as for other 

 cereals for the best result-, but even on badly or roughly prepared land good 

 crops can he obtained. Rye should be sown in autumn, earlier or later accord- 

 ing to when the feed is required : it is a quick grower, and matures early, 

 to two bushels of seed are required per acre. Where conditions are 

 favourable and long coarse straw is desired, the smaller quantity is used, but 

 under less favourable conditions and where the crop is intended for green 

 feed or green manure the larger quantity is advisable. A good mixture 

 for green feed is one composed of one bushel of rye and half a bushel of Held 

 peas per acre. Superphosphate may be drilled in with the seed at the rate 

 of I to 1 cwt. per acre. 



Harvesting. 



For grain the crop should be allowed to become quite ripe in the paddock 

 before harvesting. For hay for the padding of horse collars, the crop is cut 

 while still green, stooked, and when dry, stacked. This leaves the straw 

 tough and with a good colour. There is a small local demand for rye straw 

 for collar-making. 



Varieties and Disease. 



Varieties that can be recommended are : — Black Winter rye (for early 

 winter feed and grain); Emerald (for late fodder); and White (for collar- 

 making!, though the area devoted to the last two in this State is very 

 small. Slav is a new and rather promising variety, but so far the Depart 

 ment has no seed for distribution. 



Rye is fairly free from diseases and insect pests. The most harmful 

 fungus disease is Ergot (Claviceps purpurea). Plants attacked by this 

 disease are affected while in bloom ; the ergot increases in size, growing 

 much longer than the grain, and appears as a black, hornlike growth in the 

 ear. The decrease in yield of grain. bowev«-r, is slight. Ergot, though used 

 medicinally in small quantities, contains a principle that in larger quantities 

 is poisonous to man and animals: it is said to cause abortion in stock. To 

 protect rye from Ergot the best plan is to cut before the ears show up. 



