78 THE HANDBOOK FOR PRACTICAL FARMERS 



and in habit of early growth (spring and winter). Only the 

 white or yellow Avinter ryes are grown to any extent in the 

 United States. 



Cultural methods. — Rye is adapted to a wide range of soil 

 and climate. It can be grown on lighter soil and further north 

 than wheat. It is likewise more resistant to winter injury. It 

 is sometimes known as the grain of poverty, because it can be 

 produced on soils too poor and in too severe climate for other 

 cereals. This ability to overcome adverse conditions does not 

 mean that it will not respond with a larger yield to more favor- 

 able soils and climate. 



It will pay to prepare the seed bed well when seeding rye, 

 although a fairly good crop can be secured by drilling in corn 

 w^ithout preparation, or after the corn is cut off by disking. The 

 rate of seeding varies from five to ten pecks where grain is 

 desired. If grown for straAV, a lesser amount is needed, and if 

 grown for green manure even more may be desirable. 



The time of seeding rye is somewhat earlier than for wheat, 

 but rye is not exacting in this regard. It may be seeded early 

 and pastured in the fall to prevent jointing, or may be seeded 

 very late so that it barely germinates and yet yields a very good 

 crop. Such extremes are not to be recommended, however, 

 when yield is the prime object. 



Rye, like wheat, Avill resj)ond favorably to fertilization. 



Harvesting and threshing rye. — Rye is grown both for the 

 grain and for the straw. AYhen groAvn for the grain it is har- 

 vested and threshed just as wheat, but when the straw is desired 

 the rye is cut while quite green, tied in small bundles, cured 

 carefully and stored inside as soon as possible to preserve the 

 color of the straw. After having been thoroughly cured in 

 this way, the heads only are threshed and the straw thrown 

 aside. The straw thus secured is used for horse collars, 

 upholstering, etc. 



Uses of rye. — Rye grain is used for stock food, and for human 

 consmnption. The straw is used for bedding and as described 

 above. The green plants are used for pasture and for green 

 manure. Thus it is seen that rye has a greater diversity of 

 uses than most of the cereals. Some of these uses need special 

 mention. Rye bread is the staff of life in some European coun- 

 tries just as wheat bread is in the United States. Rye straw, 

 when of good quality, sells for nearly as much as second-grade 

 timothy on the markets in the big cities. Thus the straw is 

 sometimes worth as much as the grain. Rye makes one of the 



